Chapter 1586 - Ch: 3-4

Chapter 3: Pen Pals

Harry Potter handed his envelope to his Aunt Petunia, who accepted it and added it to her own outgoing mail before turning and leaving Harry's room without a word, shutting the door behind her.

After the not-so-subtle threat the Dursleys had received when they picked him up from King's Crossing, it hadn't proved too difficult for Harry to convince them to help him out. He'd casually mentioned that Hermione fully intended to write him on a regular basis throughout the summer, and would expect Harry to answer each and every one of her letters promptly. Their brief encounter with Hermione had been enough for the Dursleys to decide that doing anything to draw her ire would be a very bad move.

From there, it'd been an easy thing. Uncle Vernon had been reluctant to agree, simply because he hated the idea of doing anything that might be to Harry's benefit. But Aunt Petunia had brought him around by pointing out that, if "the boy" and "that bushy-haired girl" were going to be writing each other regularly, it would be far better for them to do so through the regular post, rather than having "that ruddy owl" travelling back and forth with the letters. The thought of Harry's owl being set loose even more frequently than usual was enough to get Vernon's grudging approval.

With that agreement having been reached, and knowing she'd be anxiously waiting to hear from him, Harry wasted little time in beginning to write his first letter to Hermione. He decided to forego any discussion of the prophecy, or any mention of his nagging doubts about Headmaster Dumbledore. He wanted to be sure that the Order would not intercept their letters before he included anything that sensitive.

Instead, he'd written this first letter more as a simple letter between friends. Perhaps there were a few things in there that he'd feel rather embarrassed sharing with someone like Remus or Tonks, but he didn't include anything that he absolutely did not want them to read. This first letter was more of a trial run. Now, he just needed to sit back, do his best to pretend the Dursleys did not exist, and wait for Hermione's reply.

-NMM-

"Hermione, that letter from your friend Harry is here."

With a girlish squeal that would have shocked Harry and Ron had they heard it, Hermione set aside the book she'd been reading, bolted out of her room, raced down the stairs, and snatched the envelope from her mother's hands.

"Excited?" Jane Granger teased, amused at her daughter's reaction.

"Of course! I've been dying to hear from Harry!" Hermione answered emphatically.

"You know, I was surprised when you told us that you and Harry would be writing each other regularly over the summer. I don't remember him being much of a letter writer before now."

"He's matured. Plus, he said he wants my advice on a few things," Hermione answered. It was the truth, of course, but she still felt a bit guilty.

If her parents knew everything that Harry (and herself, by proxy) had been through, and exactly what he wanted her advice on, their reaction would likely be much different. Hermione didn't like concealing things from her parents, but she didn't see any other alternative. They wouldn't be able to understand that she'd chosen this life for herself, chosen to stand by Harry, even knowing the danger. Better to keep them in the dark, rather than having to justify the choices she'd made.

"Well, if he wants answers, he's writing to the right person," her mother said with a grin. "You still haven't really explained why you're using the post, though. Didn't you usually use that owl when you wanted to write to him before?"

"Yes, but since we plan on sending regular letters back and forth, we just thought it would be easier this way. Besides, Harry's aunt and uncle don't really like Hedwig. I'm sure they're happy that we'll be using the post," Hermione called as she made her way back up the stairs and to her room. She closed the door behind her and took a seat at her desk, eagerly opening the envelope and pulling out Harry's letter. Hermione smiled in anticipation as she began to read.

Dear Hermione,

As you can see, I've convinced the Dursleys to mail this letter for me. Given their hatred for Hedwig, not to mention that they are now scared to death of you, it wasn't even a hard sell. Nice work!

I've spent like 15 minutes trying to figure out the best way to start this letter. I haven't come up with anything good so far, so I'm just going to start writing and see what happens. 

I'm sure you're reading some book you'd love to talk about, but you know I'm hopeless there. You aren't Ron, so a quidditch talk isn't going to work. I just saw you a few days ago, on the train ride back from Hogwarts, so it seems kind of stupid for me to ask how you're doing. Well, I could ask about your injury. How is that feeling, anyway? I know you kept saying you're "fine", but I could tell that it was still bothering you a bit. How is it now, honestly? And don't just say "it's fine." It never works when I say it to you, so why should it work any better when you try to use it on me?

Speaking of your injury, I want to say again that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, and I'm sorry I nearly got you killed. I know that you, and the others, have told me that it wasn't my fault, and I shouldn't blame myself. I appreciate that, and I don't completely blame myself, not any more. But I still think that I deserve at least some of the blame for what happened. I should have listened to what you were saying. Because I didn't, the six of us walked right into Voldemort's trap. Was it all my fault? No. But at the least, I should have thought things through a bit more, and not let my emotions keep me from taking your objections to heart. Hopefully, I won't make that same mistake in the future.

Anyway, that's enough of that. I also kind of wanted to ask you about Cho. You seemed pretty convinced that she didn't want to be just friends with me. Why do you think that? I tried to ask you about it on the train, but you seemed like you got sort of angry with me all of a sudden. So I figured I'd try again, since even if you get angry again, you can hardly take it out on me through a letter. 

Or could you? I wouldn't put anything past you, Hermione Granger.

This is enough for now, don't you think? We've got loads more to talk about, but I'll save that for my second letter. Write back soon, Hermione. 

Your friend,

Harry

Hermione put the letter down, a small smile on her face. Harry hadn't gotten into any of the important details yet, but she hadn't expected him to. She trusted that he'd be as good as his word, and start writing about the heavier topics in his next letter, once he was sure that the Order wouldn't read their correspondence.

'Speaking of that'...Hermione smiled to herself as she suddenly got an idea. If the Order were monitoring these letters, she and Harry would soon find out. She would make sure of it.

Hermione pulled out a pen and paper and began feverishly working on her reply, putting just as much enthusiasm into writing her letter as she normally put into her assignments at Hogwarts.

-NMM-

Harry was sitting at the kitchen table, minding his own business and eating a sandwich he'd made for himself, when a loud slam caught his attention.

He looked up and saw Uncle Vernon, who had obviously just come in through the front door. The obese man marched over towards the table and slammed an envelope down right next to Harry's plate.

"You've gotten a letter, boy," Vernon spat before turning on his heel and stomping into the next room, grumbling to himself.

Knowing that the letter could be from only one person, Harry quickly wolfed down the rest of his sandwich and washed his plate before grabbing the unopened envelope and hurrying up the stairs to his room.

Once inside, Harry shut and locked the door before tearing open the envelope and plopping down on his bed. He settled in and made himself comfortable as he began to read.

Dear Harry,

Thank you for the letter! I was anxiously waiting to hear from you, as I'm sure you can imagine. 

As for the Dursleys now being frightened of me: good! It's about time those rotten people were put in their place, and I was more than happy to help. That it led to them agreeing to mail your letters for you is simply a nice bonus.

My injury is fine now. Honestly, it is! It didn't leave a scar, which you already know, and it hasn't hurt for days. You're right, though; it was still bothering me slightly before we left Hogwarts. But it was only some minor pain, and given everything you were going through, I didn't want to worry you. So I tried to pretend it didn't bother me. I suppose I must not have done a very good job, though I doubt I was as obvious in my denials as you always are. You're simply a terrible liar, Harry. Not that that's a bad thing!

We've been over this, Harry: what happened at the Ministry, what happened to Sirius, was NOT your fault! You weren't thinking rationally at the time. You had a dark wizard in your head, influencing your thoughts and your feelings. If it weren't for that, I honestly believe I could have gotten through to you, and we could have found some way to confirm that Sirius was not actually in any danger. I don't blame you in the least, and you shouldn't blame yourself, either. You weren't yourself at the time.

So long as we're discussing that day, though, there is something I'd like to apologize to you for. While I was trying to reason with you, I talked about you having a "saving people thing." I think you took it as an insult or a slight, but I honestly did not mean it that way at all. Yes, you do have a "saving people thing"—and thank Merlin for that! Your "saving people thing" is the reason I'm alive today. Without it, that troll surely would have killed me back in our first year. I'm sure Ginny's glad you have a "saving people thing" too, because otherwise she would have died down in that chamber. So, on behalf of both of us: thank you, Harry!

You always try and save people in danger because you are selfless, brave and kind. How could anyone fault you for that? I certainly don't. Those are all great qualities, and they're a big part of what makes you such a wonderful person. I was just trying to make you see that, that time, there might not actually have been anyone that needed saving. Please don't be angry with me. 

Could I take my anger out on you through the mail? Of course I could, if I thought you deserved it. But I'm not angry with you, so you have nothing to worry about (this time, at least.) As to why I think Cho may still be interested in more than friendship? I don't have any concrete evidence to support that belief, Harry. It's more a gut feeling than anything else. Call it women's intuition.

And who could blame her for fancying you, anyway? I doubt she could find anyone better.

There; I believe I've covered everything from your letter that needed a response. Your turn, Harry. 

Perhaps, next time, we can discuss what Dumbledore told you in his office after you got back from the Ministry?

Love,

Hermione

P.S. Of course I'm reading a book! Reading is quite enriching, you know. Both fiction and non-fiction. You really should try reading something other than a quidditch magazine sometime.

Harry laughed aloud after finishing the letter. Hermione, clever witch that she was, had just guaranteed that if Dumbledore and the Order were reading these letters, they'd be getting involved shortly. They both knew full well that Dumbledore would not permit him to include the contents of the prophecy in a letter. If he had hidden it from Harry himself for so long, Harry didn't think there was any way he'd risk it being put into a letter that could be read by anyone. If Dumbledore was in fact reading these letters, he'd now interfere in some way, before Harry had the chance to send out his next letter. If that happened, Harry would have to come up with some other way to communicate with Hermione—but Dumbledore would be none the wiser about how Harry was feeling, about Harry's doubting the Headmaster, and his uncertainty about returning to Hogwarts in the fall.

'Nicely done, Hermione,' Harry thought to himself. He tucked the letter into a drawer and went back downstairs to get started on his chores (which, thanks to Hermione and the Order, were much more reasonable these days.) He'd give it several days, give Dumbledore plenty of time to interfere. After that, if there was no action from the Headmaster or the Order, it would be time to tell Hermione just what the prophecy said.

-NMM-

Hermione chewed her fingernails anxiously. She knew it was perfectly natural that she hadn't received a second letter from Harry yet. It hadn't even been all that long since she'd mailed her first letter, and she was sure Harry would wait a bit before replying, to make sure that Dumbledore hadn't caught on.

Still, it was quite nerve-racking, sitting and waiting. If the Order had actually figured out their scheme somehow, how would she be able to help Harry through his current crisis? The thought of sitting in her home helplessly while Harry decided to leave Hogwarts, leave her life, possibly never to return...it absolutely terrified her.

Hermione's attention was drawn to her window, where she saw something she'd been waiting on for hours.

It was the delivery truck, come to drop off the day's post.

"Hermione, the post-" her father began, but she was already running down the stairs and out the front door in her hurry to see if she'd gotten a reply from Harry. She picked up the post and examined its contents, sifting through various bills and advertisements until finally, thankfully, she found what she was looking for.

Once back in the house, Hermione haphazardly deposited the rest of the post on the kitchen table and rushed up the stairs, oblivious to her father's amused laugh at her antics.

Grinning in anticipation, Hermione tore open the envelope and began poring over the new letter from Harry.

Dear Hermione,

First off, well done! If Dumbledore were checking the Dursleys' post, there's no way he wouldn't have interfered after that bit you wrote that hinted about the prophecy. Since it's now been several days, and I haven't heard one peep from Dumbledore or anyone else with the Order, I'm guessing this little idea of yours is working. Not like that's surprising, though. How often are you wrong?

Now that we've sorted that out, we can start talking about the really important stuff. Like the prophecy.

I thought about writing about other, smaller things first, but I know you. You'll have been sitting around, waiting on pins and needles to find out what the prophecy says. So I won't keep you waiting. Knowing you, I'm sure you'll be wanting to break it down and analyse it, piece by piece, so I'll let you do just that. Here is what the prophecy said, word for word:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...

Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...

and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...

and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."

There it is, as told to me by Dumbledore. He said that, at first, the prophecy could have been about either me or Neville. We were both "born as the seventh month dies" (at the end of July, obviously), and both of our parents defied Voldemort three times. It seems that Voldemort heard that first part, and decided to eliminate this one who supposedly would have the power to vanquish him.

He came after me first. I don't know if there was any special reason for that, but being the bloody bastard that he is, I'm sure he planned to kill Neville as soon as he was done with me. But you know what happened next. He failed to kill me, but in the process, he gave me the blasted lightning bolt scar that everyone stares at. This was seen as him "marking me as his equal", and so I became the one that the prophecy refers to.

You know what this means, obviously. Either I kill Voldemort, or he kills me. No matter how many different ways you try to look at this (and I know you'll try loads of them), there's no getting around it. I'm either going to become a murderer, or I'm going to get murdered. 

After seeing Voldemort duel with Dumbledore at the end of term, I'd say the second outcome is much more likely. Power he knows not? What does that even mean?

This is one of the reasons I'm so upset with Dumbledore. Probably the biggest reason, even. He's known about this prophecy for years. He's known what I'll have to do. But did he ever tell me? No. He let me go on in ignorance. He said he hid it from me because he cared about me, cared about my happiness, and didn't want to burden me with this. I do believe him, but that doesn't make me any less angry about it. He should have done more to prepare me for what I'm going to have to do. Because at the moment, Voldemort would destroy me with ease if given half the chance. And I don't really see how I can be happy about anything if I'm dead.

There are some other problems I've got with Dumbledore, and some of his decisions over the years. But I think you've got enough to think over at the moment, thanks to the prophecy, so I'm just going to finish with some lighter things.

I'll take your word for it about your injury, but I think you overestimate your own ability to lie, Hermione. I don't know how obvious my attempts are, but it was easy enough to tell that you were lying. Well, it was for me, at least. Not sure if anyone else picked up on it, Ron included.

I'm not angry with you for saying I have a "saving people thing." It's true, after all. I hadn't even given that a second thought until you mentioned it in your letter, so you don't need to worry about it. And you were right in trying to talk me out of going to the Ministry, obviously.

As for saving you from that troll: you're welcome! Though you should probably thank Ron, honestly. He's the one that knocked the troll out. All I did was stick my wand up his nose. (Think that'll work against Voldemort? Maybe I should give it a try.)

I still don't really understand the whole Cho thing, but I'm going to guess you know what you're talking about. You're hardly ever wrong, and I know pretty much nothing about girls. I do think you're wrong about her not being able to find anyone better to fancy, though. Heck, she already did find someone better: Cedric. He was a much better wizard than me, and he actually made her happy, something I couldn't ever do.

Your friend,

Harry

P.S. You know what's funny? I remember actually enjoying some of the books on magic I got before we started our first year at Hogwarts. But since then, I've avoided reading as much as possible. I guess Ron rubbed off on me.

The end of Harry's letter brought a brief smile to Hermione's face, but it quickly disappeared as her focus returned to the most important thing she'd just learned: the contents of the prophecy.

The wording of the prophecy seemed clear. It would come down to Harry and Voldemort in the end. Hermione didn't put much stock in Divination, especially after being around the likes of Professor Trelawney. But it was clear that Headmaster Dumbledore believed that this was legitimate, as did Voldemort, so she had no choice but to accept that it would come to pass, through sheer force of will if nothing else.

Not that she needed some prophecy to tell her this, though. She'd always known, on some level, that it would fall to Harry to finish Voldemort off once and for all. After all, if Dumbledore were able to defeat Voldemort himself, surely he would have done it by now? It only made sense that it would be Harry. Harry, who had become the first person in history to survive the Killing Curse. Harry, who had come into contact with Voldemort and his underlings numerous times as a mere schoolboy, and always managed to survive. Harry, who always persevered, no matter the odds. It never could have been anyone other than Harry, really.

Harry would fulfil this prophecy. He would defeat Voldemort. Hermione would make sure of it.

But right now, she needed to put considerable thought into how she was going to reply to this prophecy—and, more importantly, how she was going to reply to Harry's rather negative attitude about his chances of success.

-NMM-

Harry finished reading the letter sent to him by Ron, and laughed in amusement. He'd been tense for the past several days, ever since he'd sent off his 2nd letter to Hermione...the one where he told her exactly what the prophecy said.

One part of him was afraid that, knowing what she did, she wouldn't want to be his friend any longer.

Another part of him was afraid that she would.

Ron's letter, delivered by his rather excitable owl, Pigwidgeon, had arrived at the perfect time. Ron had, of course, asked him how he was feeling after the tragedy that he'd gone through at the Ministry building. But after that, Ron had spent the rest of the letter writing about everything from the latest news about the Chudley Cannons to the twins' ever-expanding list of joke products.

In short: he'd taken Harry's mind off of his troubles, and allowed him to relax for a bit. It was exactly what Harry had needed.

After quickly reassuring Ron that he was doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances, Harry spent the rest of his reply writing about things just as unimportant and—well-normal as Ron had. He gave the letter to Pig, who flew off to deliver it, and decided he should write a little something to send along to Hermione as well. Just a few quick things; nothing of great importance. It was more for appearances than anything else, anyway. He sent Hedwig along with this letter, telling her she could stay out until the following morning if she wanted. He figured Hermione would want to send her back with an equally frivolous return letter.

Far more important, though, was the letter that arrived in that day's post: Hermione's response to the prophecy. After Aunt Petunia wordlessly handed him the envelope in his room, it was with more than a little reluctance that Harry opened it up.

Dear Harry,

I know how your mind works, Mr. Potter, so let's just get this out of the way right now: I AM NOT ABANDONING YOU. Got it? I'm going to be there to help you, every step of the way, regardless of the danger. And don't be surprised when Ron says the same thing, once you tell him what the prophecy says. (You ARE going to tell him, right? Eventually, at least?)

The three of us have been through thick and thin together, and if you think either of us would let you confront that monster alone when the time comes, you're insane. The prophecy may say that it is you who has to kill Voldemort (and it WILL be you who kills him, and not vice versa), but it doesn't say anything about you doing it all alone. 

You're stuck with me, Harry, whether you like it or not. And I'd be quite surprised if Ron doesn't feel the same way.

Now that that's settled: you're right, no matter how many different ways I examined the wording of this prophecy, the crux of it is clear. It's either you or him. But honestly, Harry? This doesn't come as any great surprise to me. Of course it'll be you that finishes that monster once and for all. It was you who ended his first reign of terror, and it's you who has continued to wreck his plans, time and again. Since he got his new body at the end of our 4th year, at least a part of me has known that it would be you who stopped him, just like it was you who stopped him the first time. 

As I said, though, you won't be doing it alone. I suspect Ron will support you fully. The Order's primary purpose is to bring Voldemort down. Dumbledore, as much as you might dislike him at the moment, will continue to work to oppose the efforts of Voldemort and his followers. And you'll always have me, of course.

Not only are you going to defeat Voldemort, Harry, but you are also going to survive the encounter in one piece. You may doubt your abilities, Harry, but you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You have already accomplished so many incredible things, and you don't even seem to realise it. And we're going to make sure you're well-prepared before you confront Voldemort for the final time. When the time comes, you'll be ready, and you'll be brilliant. I don't even want to think about what my life would be like without you in it, Harry, so failure is simply not an option. I don't want to hear any more talk of you dying, understand?

I understand why you're so upset at Dumbledore for not sharing any of this with you before now. It is very upsetting to me also. Perhaps you weren't ready to hear the prophecy the moment you walked into Hogwarts, but surely he could have told you at some point over the last five years? 

Although, didn't you say in your last letter that Voldemort only heard part of the prophecy? Maybe Dumbledore was afraid that he would be able to use that "connection" between the two of you to hear the rest of it? That's something you should ask him, Harry. 

Even if you decide to leave Hogwarts, I still think you should speak with Dumbledore before you actually do so. He deserves the chance to tell his side of things, at the very least, and I doubt he could have done so the last time you spoke with him. You were too frazzled emotionally, after both losing Sirius and hearing the contents of the prophecy. Regardless of what you might think of him, Dumbledore is an extremely powerful and very intelligent wizard. He could be a great help to you, if the two of you can reach an understanding. I'm not saying you have to forgive him for all of his mistakes, or trust him as fully as you once did. But at least hear him out.

Speaking of his other mistakes, I am quite curious to hear about those as well. Since you first told me of your doubts about the Headmaster during our conversation in the hospital wing, I've been doing quite a bit of thinking about some of his decisions, myself. For instance, being so easily lured out of the castle during our first year, which left it up to us to stop Professor Quirrell from getting the Philosopher's Stone. Or, while we're at it, why move the stone to Hogwarts in the first place? If there was concern about a possible attempt to steal it, why would Dumbledore agree to move it to the school, and possibly put the students at risk?

I've also wondered about what happened with Sirius in our third year. Dumbledore seemed to readily believe us when we insisted that Sirius was innocent. In fact, it hardly even seemed to surprise him. But if he wasn't surprised, couldn't that mean that he had at least some doubts about Sirius' guilt when he was sent to Azkaban? And if he did, why didn't he insist that Sirius received a trial before being condemned and sent away? With all the power he wields in our society, that seems like something that should have been well within his ability to pull off.

Anyway, those are just a couple of things that I've come up with. I'm eager to hear your own thoughts, so be sure to include those in your next letter.

Of course Ron didn't notice that my injury was still bothering me slightly. He can be quite oblivious at times, and besides, I'm sure most of his attention was on you. He was worried about you after what happened to Sirius, just as I was. 

Speaking of Sirius...would you like to talk about him? I know it's hard, and I know you have many other things to think about, but I'm sure losing him is still weighing on you heavily. Like I said before, you can talk to me about anything, Harry. I'd like it if you wrote about him a bit in your next letter, but it is up to you.

I'm relieved to hear that you aren't angry with me over my "saving people" comment. You might have forgotten about it in the wake of all that happened, but I definitely did not. It didn't come out the way I intended, and I felt quite guilty about it. Thank you for forgiving me, Harry.

You're right, it was Ron who knocked the troll out. But he wouldn't have even been there if you hadn't insisted on helping me, despite barely knowing me at the time. Just another example of what a selfless, caring person you are, Harry. Cho would be lucky to have you, whether you can see it or not.

You've gotten your O.W.L. results, haven't you? I got ten "Outstandings", and an "Exceeds Expectations" in DADA. Acceptable results, I suppose, though I do wish I'd managed an O in Defence. How did yours go? Did you get the scores you needed to become an Auror after you graduate from Hogwarts (assuming you remain there, that is)?

I feel like I've prattled on long enough, so it's probably time to end this letter. Take care, Harry, and write back soon!

Love,

Hermione

P.S. Oh no you don't! Don't try and blame it all on Ron, mister! No one's responsible for your lack of interest in reading but you. If you wanted to read, you could. You still can, even. You're not a lost cause yet, you know. I'd be happy to recommend some reading material, if you'd like.

Harry let out an involuntary sigh of relief as he finished reading Hermione's letter. While he still worried about Hermione putting herself in danger simply by being his friend, he had to admit that he was glad to know he still had her support. He'd be lost without her. Especially now, knowing what he would eventually have to do.

She hadn't reacted to the prophecy at all like he'd expected. He thought she would either try and discredit it line-by-line, or just dismiss it as irrelevant nonsense. But she'd done neither. Instead, she'd readily accepted it to be legitimate, and spent a good portion of the letter reassuring him that he would be successful, and also promised to be there with him when the time came to try and defeat Voldemort. He would have something to say about that last bit, but deep down he knew that there was no way he'd be able to change her mind.

She'd also raised some interesting questions about Dumbledore's actions and decisions, which, when added to his own gripes, only served to increase his mistrust of the Headmaster. He definitely had some major thinking to do about Dumbledore, as well as his uncertain future at Hogwarts.

-NMM-

Hermione put down the letter that Pigwidgeon had just delivered from the Burrow, and grinned in anticipation. She'd be seeing Harry soon!

Hermione scrawled a quick reply, and sent it back with Pig. She felt a bit guilty about evading some of Ron's questions, but she didn't want to betray Harry's trust. She was hopeful that Harry would confide in Ron eventually.

Speaking of Harry, it wasn't long after she'd sent Pig on his way that the day's post arrived, with her third letter from Harry included. Hermione opened the envelope with haste, eager as she was to find out more about Harry's mistrust of Headmaster Dumbledore.

Dear Hermione,

Part of me is glad to hear that you've no intention of leaving me, even with the prophecy. Another part kind of wishes you would. Don't get me wrong; I'm glad you're my friend, and I don't know what I'd do without you. But I know that being my friend puts you in even more danger, especially if you really are going to be with me whenever I take on Voldemort. And if something were to happen to you, I don't think I'd ever forgive myself. That moment in the Department of Mysteries, where you got cursed by Dolohov and I thought you might be dead, was the most terrifying moment of my life. You said that you don't even want to think about what your life would be like without me in it. Well, that goes both ways, so if you're going to fight by my side, you better be careful.

I'm sure I'll fill Ron in about the prophecy eventually, yeah, but I want to make my decision about my future before I tell him what the prophecy says, or what you and I are talking about. He's my best mate and all, but he kind of has a habit of blurting things out without thinking. I know I'll have to speak with Dumbledore at some point, but I'd be afraid Ron would give something away before I'm ready. Dumbledore is a very intelligent person, and I don't want to speak with him until I've had a chance to think things over, not to mention discuss them with you. Otherwise, he might be able to manipulate the situation to his advantage.

Speaking of which, you brought up some interesting questions about Dumbledore in your last letter. I hadn't really thought about the risk he put all of his students in by bringing the stone to Hogwarts, or the way he reacted to our pleas about Sirius. I think you're right on both of those, and it makes me even more wary of trusting him.

I've come to question quite a few of Dumbledore's decisions over the past few weeks, but let's start with leaving me on the Dursleys' doorstep. He explained that he left me there because it was the safest place for me to be. Aunt Petunia, being a blood relative of my mother, provided the strongest protection possible when she agreed to take me in, however reluctantly. Some kind of ancient magic. 

This makes sense, and I can't fault Dumbledore's decision to leave me there. But why did he allow the Dursleys to treat me so horribly? My first Hogwarts letter was addressed to "The Cupboard under the stairs", so he obviously had some means of keeping an eye on me. So why didn't he make any effort to persuade the Dursleys to at least treat me like a human being? Putting me here and just ignoring me as he did might have kept me protected, but it sure as hell didn't do anything for the "happiness" he apparently cares so much about.

How about the quality of instructors he offers at Hogwarts? In five years, we've had exactly ONE good teacher in Defence. Aside from Remus, the most effective instructor we had was a bloody Death Eater who used Polyjuice to disguise himself. How pathetic is that? 

And that's before we even get to Snape. How that greasy git got hired in the first place is mystery enough, but how in the name of Merlin has he held on to that job for so long? Everyone knows how awfully he treats anyone who isn't a Slytherin. Even the other professors can see it. The man is a bully, but Dumbledore lets him get away with anything and everything. Same thing with Filch. Why does he continue to employ people who treat most of the students like complete rubbish?

On that same note, what made him think that having Snape teach me Occlumency was a good idea? Snape has never tried to teach me a thing in five years. I get why he didn't want to teach me Occlumency himself, but surely there has to have been someone he could have gone to besides Snape? Even if it were someone who wasn't as skilled at Occlumency, they'd still have done a better job at teaching it to me than Snape.

But still, it all comes back to the prophecy. I don't think I'd have even stopped to think about all of these other things if he hadn't screwed that up so badly. I get not telling me right away. Your point that he might have been afraid that Voldemort could have used our connection to hear it is a good one, too. But how could he not have at least told me that there was something Voldemort greatly desired in the Ministry? That's all he would have needed to say to prevent everything that happened at the end of term. He admitted as much afterwards, when we talked in his office. But, even though I understand that everyone makes mistakes, I'm having a difficult time getting past this one. 

What do you think, Hermione? Am I being too hard on him?

Since you asked about Sirius...I miss him, of course, and I still feel a bit guilty about what happened. It's tough, but I've come to accept that Sirius wouldn't want me to sit and sulk or feel sorry for myself. He'd want me to stand up and take action, which is what I'm trying to do (with your help, of course.) Together, I'm hoping the two of us can figure out what my next move should be, whether it's returning to Hogwarts, transferring to a new school, or leaving school behind entirely so I can focus on preparing for Voldemort. Let me know what you think. I'm not saying I'll automatically go along with whatever you suggest, but I do value your opinion 

Oh, since you asked about my scores: I got 7 O.W.L.s, but I only managed an E in Potions. Snape requires an O to continue on with the course, so no, I didn't get the marks I needed to try and become an Auror. Oh well; looks like I'll get my fill of fighting dark wizards anyhow. And at least I won't have to be around that greasy haired git very much, even if I do return to Hogwarts.

Congratulations on your marks, by the way. Extremely well done, but I expected nothing less from you.

Your friend,

Harry

P.S. You're right, of course. I probably should do some more reading. Especially knowing what I'm going to have to do in the future. I'll need every bit of knowledge I can get if I'm going to beat Voldemort. Feel free to suggest anything you think might help.

Hermione bit her bottom lip in thought as she finished reading Harry's letter. She had to admit that Harry made some valid points against Dumbledore, as well as against the quality of education offered at Hogwarts. Still, her gut told her that the best place for Harry to be was at Hogwarts. Dumbledore would be able to keep tabs on Voldemort's activities better than anyone else, and he could also be an invaluable source of knowledge and training for Harry. She didn't think there was any other place on Earth that could offer Harry a greater chance of victory.

But in order for that to work, some things would have to change. He and Headmaster Dumbledore would have to have a talk, and reach some sort of mutual understanding. Otherwise, there would be too much distrust on Harry's side.

As Hermione saw it, two things would need to happen for Harry to return to Hogwarts. One, Dumbledore would need to address Harry's problems in a straightforward and truthful manner, and show real regret and a genuine desire to make amends. Two, Harry would need to accept Dumbledore's explanations, and give him a second chance.

If either of those things went wrong, Harry would be leaving Hogwarts, and Hermione wouldn't be able to stop him. She'd have to follow him, wherever he went.

-NMM-

Harry sent off Hedwig with a reply to his latest letter from Ron. This letter had done even more to raise Harry's spirits than Ron's first, though it had more to do with the news Ron provided this time. Ron had written to tell him that his parents had spoken with Dumbledore, and gotten the Headmaster's approval for Harry to come to the Burrow on his birthday. Better still, Dumbledore had even said that Harry would not need to return to Privet Drive afterwards, and would be able to spend the remainder of the summer with the Weasleys. Harry was thrilled to hear this. Being at Privet Drive had given him plenty of time to think things over during the previous month or so, but he was more than ready to leave it behind and spend some time with people he actually liked.

Not to mention, Ron told him that Hermione would be there as well. He'd been in close contact with her, thanks to the letters, but he was still looking forward to seeing her in person for the first time in a month. He wondered if they'd get a chance to talk privately amidst all the hustle and bustle of the party he was sure Mrs. Weasley would throw for him, or if they'd have to save those kinds of discussions for later.

While he looked forward to actually speaking with Hermione face-to-face, he'd presently have to make due with reading her latest letter, which arrived soon thereafter.

Dear Harry,

First, I just want to say how excited I am to see you again! Just before I got your last letter, Pigwidgeon came by with a note from Ron. I'm sure you'll have heard from him as well by the time you get this letter, so you don't need the details, obviously. I can't wait to see you again, give you a big hug, and wish you a happy birthday! Before that, though, I'll need to get your present. I think I know what I'd like to get you, but I'll need to speak with the Weasleys first. 

Of course I'm not going to leave you, Harry! As if that silly prophecy would keep me away! As I've already said, and will continue to say as many times as it takes for it to sink in: I'm sticking with you to the end, Harry. And I promise to be careful, so long as you do the same.

I understand your reluctance to fill Ron in about the prophecy. He does have a tendency to open his mouth without thinking sometimes, I don't deny that. If you want to wait until you've made your decision about Hogwarts before you talk to Ron, I'll support you. But if you do decide to leave, I hope you'll speak to Ron before you go. I think he deserves that, at least.

You've raised several interesting points about Professor Dumbledore. If it had only been hiding the prophecy from you, I'd have argued that you should forgive him and let it slide. I've always held the Headmaster in the highest esteem, but the more I think about them, the more I question some of his decisions. Your doubts towards him are very valid. As to whether I think you're being too hard on him? Honestly, that's for you to decide, Harry. But you definitely need to speak with him.

You asked for my opinion on what your next move should be. After listening to everything you've had to say, I understand why you're so hesitant to return to Hogwarts, so long as it is run by Dumbledore. But, in my honest opinion, Hogwarts is the best place for you to be. As you already know all too well, you are right in the thick of this war, whether you want to be or not. And so is Dumbledore. You might not trust him right now, Harry, but both of you want the same thing. You both want to bring Voldemort down, so he and his followers can no longer harm anyone. If at all possible, the two of you should be working together. Dumbledore is a great wizard, Harry, and his support would be invaluable for you. But in order for that to happen, the two of you need to sit down and talk everything out. You need to tell him exactly what is on your mind, and you need to make it clear that you will not tolerate having things hidden from you any longer. 

It's not all up to you, of course. Professor Dumbledore needs to be honest with you, and he needs to stop trying to shield you from things. He needs to keep you better informed, and he needs to do a better job of preparing you for your inevitable showdown with Voldemort. 

If he seems reluctant to change his ways, or you think his words are insincere? Then I suppose you might as well leave Hogwarts. If you can't trust him, then there's no point in you remaining there. Better for you to go elsewhere, where at the very least, it might be more difficult for Voldemort to come after you. Can't be any easier than at Hogwarts, at least, since either he or one of his followers have made an attempt on your life every single year. 

You'd still need to attend school somewhere, of course. Like you said, you'll need every bit of knowledge you can get against Voldemort, and aside from that, you need school to help prepare you for your life after Voldemort, as well. 

I've done a bit of research into the matter, and there have been people who have transferred both to and from Hogwarts in the past. You might have to sit out a term, or you could possibly join late and play catch-up. It all depends on the school you would be transferring to. I'll be happy to tell you more about this if it proves necessary. 

And just so there are no surprises later: if you do leave Hogwarts and relocate to another school, I WILL be going with you. I said I'm going to stand by you, and I meant it. I've already spoken to my parents about the possibility of transferring to another school, and they had no problem with it. Not that that matters much, since as far as the wizarding world is concerned, I'll be a legal adult in less than two months. It might be trickier for you, as you'd need permission from the Dursleys. But I'm sure you could get them to go along with it if you have to. Feel free to take advantage of their fear of me, if need be. 

I'm sorry to hear that you can't pursue a career as an Auror now, but perhaps it's for the best. Maybe after all this is over, you can find a job that doesn't require you to put your life on the line regularly, and I can stop worrying about you so much!

That's it for now, Harry. I imagine this will be the last letter before I see you on your birthday, so I just want to say that it's been nice to actually be in regular contact with you over the summer, even if it has been under rather difficult circumstances. But of course, these letters still aren't as good as the real thing. I can't wait to see you, Harry! If we get a moment alone, maybe we can talk about all of this some more?

See you soon, Harry! 

Love,

Hermione

Harry set the letter down, knowing that he'd be thinking about it quite a bit while he waited to see Hermione in person. She'd given him a lot to ponder. He was still wary of putting trust in Dumbledore, but she made a great point. If the two of them could work together in the fight against Voldemort, Hogwarts would be the best place for him to be. But could they do it? Could Harry get through to Dumbledore, and make him see that things needed to change? Could Harry put his trust in Dumbledore again, after everything that had happened in the past year?

Harry had no idea. But one thing was for sure: he couldn't wait to see Hermione.

Chapter 4: Birthday at The Burrow

Harry heard a knock at the front door, which was soon followed by angry bellowing from Uncle Vernon. He smiled to himself, as this could only mean one thing: his Auror guard had arrived to escort him to The Burrow.

Harry bent down to lift up his trunk, but as he was doing so, he was startled by a knock on his own bedroom door.

"Harry? May I come in?" Remus Lupin asked from outside the room.

"Yeah, sure, Remus. I was just about to grab my trunk and come down, actually," Harry replied.

The door opened, and Harry's former professor stepped into the room, a broad smile on his face. Harry stuck his hand out for him to shake, but Lupin surprised him by ignoring the gesture and wrapping Harry up in a hug instead. Stunned, Harry returned the hug awkwardly.

"Harry birthday, Harry," Lupin said as he released the hug and took a step back.

"Thanks, Prof...err, Remus. Sorry; it's still a bit weird to be calling you that," Harry said timidly. Lupin chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, we'll just have to do something about that, won't we?" Lupin said merrily, before turning serious. "How are you feeling, after...everything?" he asked quietly.

They both knew exactly what he was trying to refer to—what Lupin had been trying to avoid saying out loud. But Harry saw no point in dancing around the issue.

"It's tough, Remus. Sirius was...well, he's the closest thing I've ever had to a father. I didn't get to know him that well, thanks to all those years he spent in Azkaban, but I still thought of him as family. It's tough to know that he's gone, and even tougher since it's partly my fault."

"It is most certainly NOT your fault," Remus interrupted. "Sirius knew the danger. He knew what he was walking into, just like all the rest of us. He came along despite the danger, because he wanted to make sure that you and your friends didn't get seriously injured or worse. And I am quite sure that he would make the same choice today, even knowing the outcome. No one blames you for what happened, Harry. Your friends don't, I don't, and if Sirius could speak to you now, I know he'd tell you that he doesn't, either. So you mustn't blame yourself."

Harry sighed and nodded. Remus was right. He knew Sirius wouldn't have blamed him any more than Ron, Hermione and the others had. But knowing that was true didn't make him feel any better.

"You're right, he wouldn't," Harry agreed, though he said no more about it. He stared at the ground, trying to will away the despair that thinking of Sirius often caused these days.

He evidently was not successful, because Remus picked up on his mood.

"He wouldn't want you to get so sad when you think about him, either," Remus said gently. "He'd want you to smile and remember the good times, not dwell on the bad ones."

"I know," Harry said with a nod, "and I think I'm getting a bit better with that. I also know that he wouldn't want me to sit and sulk or feel sorry for myself, so I'm doing my best to put what happened behind me and focus on the future."

"That's good, Harry," Lupin said with a smile. "And remember what I said at the station. If you ever feel the need to talk, please feel free to get in touch with me. You can come to me with anything, whether it has to do with Sirius or not."

Just as when they talked at King's Crossing, Harry was briefly tempted to confide in Remus Lupin. But just as quickly as the thought entered his mind, Harry banished it. Lupin was an honourable, trustworthy man, but he also had a great deal of faith in Albus Dumbledore—just like Harry himself had, until recently. He couldn't spill his guts with anyone else just yet. Not until he'd had a chance to speak with Hermione in person, at least.

"Thanks, Remus. I might take you up on that eventually," Harry said with a grin.

"I hope you do, Harry," Remus returned. He paused, considering, before he continued. "Well, I suppose we've left the rest of your guard with the Dursleys long enough. Ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my trunk," Harry said. Remus walked ahead and opened the door while Harry picked up the trunk that contained his few meaningful possessions. The two of them walked down the stairs together, and Tonks, upon seeing them, turned her back to a red-faced Vernon Dursley and gave a wave.

"Wotcher, Harry! Took ya long enough! It felt like I was down here forever, listening to this great ruddy whale blather on," Tonks said. Vernon sputtered in indignation, but everyone else ignored him.

"That would be my fault, Auror Tonks," Remus said apologetically. "I had something I wanted to discuss with Harry before we departed. I am sorry for the delay."

"Oh, alright. How can I stay mad at you, wolfie?" Tonks teased. If Harry wasn't mistaken, he thought Lupin looked rather embarrassed at that moment.

Mad-Eye Moody, who had been surveying the home in silence, suddenly grabbed everyone's attention with a loud grunt.

"Right, then. If you two are done flirting like a couple of teenagers, let's get going!" the grizzled Auror barked out. Properly chagrined, both Remus and Tonks followed the old man towards the fireplace, which they'd temporarily connected to the floo network (much to Uncle Vernon's displeasure.)

Tonks went through the floo first, while Moody announced he would be going last, so he could be sure that Harry was not left alone at any point. Lupin went next, leaving just Harry and Moody.

"Alright, Potter, time to get going," Moody said gruffly. Harry nodded, and tossed his handful of floo powder into the fireplace.

"The Burrow!" Harry shouted clearly, ignoring the angry muttering from Uncle Vernon as he departed.

-NMM-

Hermione Granger had been deep in conversation with Fleur Delacour, but abruptly broke off as the first person entered through the Weasleys' floo. She turned eager eyes to the fireplace, and watched as first Tonks, and then Lupin came out. Finally, she saw what she'd been looking forward to for the last month: Harry Potter, in person.

Mrs. Weasley had been about to rush over and greet him, but Hermione was faster. She was up out of her chair in a flash, and ran straight at her friend. Harry, startled as she ran towards him at full speed, barely had time to drop his trunk before Hermione's body collided with his. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tightly, while he struggled to see past the bushy brown mass of hair right in front of his face. Not that it mattered that his vision was obscured. At the moment, Harry's focus was solely on the witch who was doing her best to squeeze the life out of him. His hands slid to her back and pulled her body even closer to his.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Harry couldn't shake the feeling that this hug was, somehow, even better than the one they'd shared at King's Crossing a month earlier.

"Oh, Harry, it's so good to see you! Happy birthday!" Hermione exclaimed, her voice full of pent-up emotion.

"Thanks, Hermione. It's good to see you too," Harry returned as best he could with her hair in the way.

Knowing that there were plenty of other people in the room eager to greet Harry, Hermione reluctantly released her hold on him and took a step back.

Moments later, Mrs. Weasley filled the space Hermione had just vacated, sweeping Harry into her arms in her usual motherly, smothering fashion.

It wasn't nearly as pleasant as Hermione's hug had been, but Harry obediently stood still and allowed her to get it out of her system. Once Mrs. Weasley had had her fill of squeezing all the oxygen out of Harry's body, she stepped back and ran her eyes over him searchingly.

"So good to see you, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley said, "but you're looking far too thin! It's a good thing I'll be preparing so much food for your birthday party later on tonight. Be sure to eat your fill."

Harry chuckled and ran his hand through his already messy hair self-consciously. Mrs. Weasley's mothering of him always made him a bit uncomfortable, but that didn't mean he disliked it. In truth, it was nice to have a little glimpse of what that was like. She was pretty much the polar opposite of Petunia Dursley, and that was high praise indeed as far as Harry was concerned.

"Happy birthday, mate," Ron greeted as he stepped forward and stuck out his hand for Harry to shake. After Harry returned the gesture, Ron continued. "Hope the muggles didn't give you any trouble."

"They weren't bad at all," Harry assured him. "They left me alone as much as possible, and did their best to pretend I didn't even exist. Thanks to that, it might have been the best month I've ever spent there."

Ron nodded in understanding, but said nothing else. Harry glanced around the room, and saw several faces seated at the table. There were even more Weasleys than usual: Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as well as Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and Bill were all there. Only Charlie and Percy were missing. He waved in greeting to the rest of the Weasleys, who waved back and offered up their own greetings.

Harry hadn't seen Bill very often, but it couldn't really be a huge surprise to see the curse breaker in his own childhood home. But Harry was more than a little surprised at the presence of Fleur Delacour, who stood up from her seat next to Bill and approached Harry.

"Oh, 'Arry, 'ow wonderful to zee you," she exclaimed, before kissing Harry once on each cheek. Harry blushed in response, but only slightly. Certainly not as much as Ron would have, at least.

"Good to see you too, Fleur," Harry replied. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I am 'ere with Beel. 'E and I are engaged to be married," she replied, positively beaming. Not all of the Weasleys looked pleased (Ginny and Mrs. Weasley looked particularly sour, Harry thought), but if Fleur noticed their mutinous expressions, she paid them no mind.

"That's great, Fleur, congratulations," Harry said. "You too, Bill," he added, which drew a smile from the eldest Weasley child.

Harry was sincere in his congratulations. He didn't know Bill all that well, but knew that Ron and Ginny had great admiration for their oldest brother. He seemed like a solid bloke, as far as Harry could tell. And he had a great deal of respect for Fleur after competing alongside her in the Triwizard Tournament. Underneath her haughty exterior, she was a very intelligent and talented witch. He hoped the two of them would be happy together.

"Hermione told us about your O.W.L. marks, Harry," Mrs. Weasley interjected, quickly changing the subject. "You should be proud of yourself, dear. You did very well."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said in response. "I did better than I thought I would. I'm no Hermione, of course, but I was pretty happy with my results."

Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly at Harry's casual praise of her results, while Ron rolled his eyes.

"Too bad you won't be able to become an auror, though," Tonks said. "If half the stories this lot tells about you are true, you would've been a great one."

"To be honest, I'm not as disappointed about that as I thought I'd be," Harry said in response. "I doubt I'll need to look far if I want to find some dark wizards. And besides, at least now I won't have to deal with Snape's abuse any more. That 'E' in Potions might have been a blessing in disguise."

"Yeah, yeah, enough about the O.W.L.S already," Ron cut in. "We've still got a month until Hogwarts starts back up, and I don't want to spend it talking about ruddy test scores, not to mention Snape."

Hermione looked annoyed, but Harry jumped in before his two best friends had the chance to start sniping at each other.

"If nobody needs me for anything, I think I'll take my trunk up to Ron's room now," Harry said. When no one objected, Harry heaved the trunk up and began lugging it up to Ron's room.

"I'll go with you, Harry," Ron said, getting up out of his seat to follow.

"Me too," Hermione agreed.

Harry nodded before continuing on his way. Ron and Hermione both followed close behind him, though all three members of the trio made the walk in silence.

Once they crossed the threshold into Ron's room, and Hermione had closed the door behind them, Hermione began speaking.

"So, Harry...how are you feeling?" Hermione asked. Harry was sure she would have preferred to say something else entirely, but wouldn't dare with Ron in the room. Those types of discussions would have to wait until they found a moment alone.

"I'm better, Hermione. I still miss Sirius, of course, but it's not as bad as it was a month ago. I'm not sure if I'll ever put it behind me completely, but I'm moving forward, at least."

"That's good to hear, Harry," Hermione said. "I guess, as they say, time heals all wounds."

"And you know we're here for you, mate, whatever you need," Ron added, taking a step forward so he could awkwardly smack Harry's arm in a rare show of affection.

Harry nodded and mumbled his thanks, unable to look Ron in the eye. He was feeling very guilty about keeping so many things from Ron. The redhead did have a temper, and sometimes said or did things without thinking of the consequences, but he was still his best mate. He made a silent pledge to himself that, after he'd spoken with Dumbledore and reached a decision about his future (with Hermione's help, no doubt), his first order of business would be to share everything with Ron.

"Fancy a game of chess, mate?" Harry offered, hoping to change the subject.

Ron happily agreed and pulled out his board, while Hermione fetched a book she'd brought with her and settled in next to Harry.

"I hate to say it, Harry, but I don't like your odds," Hermione teased.

"Thank you so much for your support, Hermione," Harry fired back, grinning at her.

"She's right, mate. You don't stand a chance," Ron said smugly.

Harry shook his head and sighed in exasperation, while Ron snickered and Hermione broke into giggles. Harry smiled as the game began, revelling in this chance to forget about his troubles and have a bit of fun with his two best friends.

Voldemort, Dumbledore, the prophecy, and everything else could wait, at least for the moment.

-NMM-

Several hours later, after multiple thrashings and much taunting from Ron, Mrs. Weasley sent Ginny up to fetch the three of them, as the party was set to begin.

Once the foursome reached the bottom of the stairs and returned to the kitchen, Harry saw that, while Tonks and Moody were nowhere to be seen, two more guests had arrived. Luna Lovegood was there, as was Professor McGonagall, surprisingly enough.

"Happy birthday, Harry," Luna greeted, in her usual dreamy fashion.

"Hullo, Luna. Glad you could make it," Harry said, smiling and sticking out his hand for her to shake.

"You haven't run into any Blibbering Humdingers lately, have you, Harry?" Luna asked, staring at his outstretched hand.

"Um...I don't think so," Harry answered, hesitantly.

"That's good," she said, sounding relieved, before finally accepting Harry's handshake. "I thought you might be vulnerable to them while you were at your relatives' house, but it seems that you made it out just fine."

Ron chuckled at Luna's behaviour, while Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. Harry, for his part, simply smiled good naturedly at the Ravenclaw girl. She might have been a bit eccentric—OK, maybe more than a bit-but she'd also proven to be a courageous and loyal friend. Her oddities were just part of what made her who she was. And besides, it wasn't as if Harry himself would be considered normal, even by the wizarding world's standards.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Potter," McGonagall offered up in her usual businesslike tone, inclining her head towards her student ever so slightly.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied. "What brings you here? Not that I'm not happy you're here, of course..." he stammered, afraid he might have offended a woman that he had considerable respect for.

"Actually, I am here at the request of the Headmaster," she answered.

Harry froze. Had Dumbledore figured out what he and Hermione had been up to? Did he dispatch his Deputy Headmistress in an attempt to sway him back from his current line of thinking? He hoped not. It would all come to a head with Dumbledore soon, of course, but Harry wanted it to be on his terms. He didn't want to have any confrontations with Dumbledore, McGonagall or anyone else until he and Hermione had the chance to sit down and prepare for it Otherwise, he'd be at a disadvantage.

"Relax, Potter, you aren't in any sort of trouble," McGonagall assured him, as his concern was plain to see for the Transfiguration instructor. "Headmaster Dumbledore simply asked me to speak with you about something, and as I had something of my own to discuss with you as well, I decided I'd stop by. I had planned on only stopping in for a brief chat, but once Mrs. Weasley got word that I would be coming, she insisted that I stay for the party."

"What exactly did you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked, curious.

"Hogwarts business, Potter. It's nothing that can't wait until after your party."

Harry nodded, accepting that they would revisit the subject later on. He did his best to put it out of his mind for the time being, and simply enjoy the party that the Weasleys had put together for him.

-NMM-

Mrs. Weasley constantly commented throughout the party that she wished she could have done something bigger, but it was brilliant in Harry's opinion. He was surrounded by people he truly liked (and who truly liked him), and got to eat as much of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking as he wanted.

Who needed lavish parties attended by total strangers? Harry thoroughly enjoyed the company of those that were there. Between the twins' jokes, Luna's fascinating eccentricities (and Hermione's exasperation towards them), Bill's interesting stories from his work as a curse breaker, Mr. Weasley's muggle obsession, and Remus' stories from the days of the Marauders, it was a very enjoyable evening. It was, hands down, the best birthday of Harry's life up to that point.

And that was before they'd even gotten to the presents.

McGonagall got that process started, handing him one of the two packages in her possession. When he looked at her curiously, she explained that Hagrid had asked her to bring his present along, as he was conducting business on Dumbledore's behalf and could not attend the party. He opened Hagrid's gift, and knowing the half-giant's odd taste, Harry unwrapped the small package very cautiously. But, to his relief, it was just the 6th year Care of Magical Creatures textbook. Thankfully, this year's book didn't try to bite his fingers off. Even better, Hagrid hadn't included any of his (in)famous rock cakes.

Harry looked at McGonagall expectantly, assuming she'd hand him her own present next. But she held on to the gift instead, saying she'd give it to him later, during their talk. Harry nodded his assent, and moved on to the next present.

The twins gave him a wide variety of joke products from their store, and invited him to visit the shop in Diagon Alley any time he needed more, at no cost. When Ron asked if that offer extended to him as well, the twins promptly shot him down. They mentioned that their "benefactor" was a huge fan of the Boy-Who-Lived, and would go spare if they actually made Harry pay for anything. Harry promised to give this "benefactor" an autographed photo in thanks, and he and the twins shared a private laugh. Only the three of them knew that Harry had helped them get their shop running by giving them his winnings from the Triwizard Tournament.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a large tin of home-made fudge, while Bill and Fleur contributed a book about famous Quidditch Seekers, both past and present. Harry skimmed through the book, and chuckled as Mrs. Weasley swatted Ron's hand away from the fudge.

Ginny informed Harry that she, Luna and Neville had all gone in together for a present, but it was in Neville's possession, so they would just give it to him on the train ride back to Hogwarts. Harry's first thought was to wonder if he'd even be on the train. His second thought was that he needed to buy presents for both Neville, whose birthday was just one day before his, and Ginny, who would be turning 15 in August. He didn't know when Luna's birthday was, but he resolved to find out. Whether he returned to Hogwarts or not, he still wanted to try and stay in contact with his friends, and he absolutely placed Ginny, Luna and Neville in that category now.

When Harry opened his present from Remus, he was more than a little surprised to see a necklace.

"It was your mother's," Remus explained. "The last time I saw her, she slipped it off for some reason that I've forgotten, and accidentally left it behind. I never got the chance to return it. I've kept it stored away all these years, but I thought you might like to have it."

"Thanks, Remus," Harry replied, swallowing past the lump in his throat as he delicately picked up his mother's necklace and inspected it. "I hope you don't expect me to wear it, though," he threw in, trying to lighten the mood.

"Certainly not, Harry," Remus said with a laugh. "But hopefully, someday, you'll find a lucky lady you want to pass it on to."

Lupin's eyes lingered on Hermione as he said this. Harry didn't notice, but Hermione did, and flushed bright red in embarrassment. Remus smiled at her, but said nothing.

"Maybe," Harry said doubtfully, setting the necklace aside for the moment. "Thanks again; it means a lot," he finished, and the room went silent for a moment.

Hermione went next, nudging a rather bulky package towards Harry. He unwrapped it, and saw that she'd given him books. Not a shocking present from Hermione, to be sure. But she'd given him quite a few—Harry counted around a half dozen. And every single one seemed to be related to something that might help him in the near future. There was a book on duelling techniques, a book on Occlumency, and a book on advanced defensive spells, among others.

"I know it's not as personal as Professor Lupin's gift..." Hermione began worriedly, but Harry cut her off.

"Hey, now, none of that, Hermione. These are brilliant! They're going to help me so much—and they look brand-new, too. This must have set you back quite a bit."

"Oh, it was nothing," Hermione said dismissively. "I always use a large amount of my spending money on books. The only difference was this time, some of the books were for someone else."

"Well, thanks for using some of your "book budget" on me, any way," Harry joked. "When we get the chance, we should look through these books together."

"I'd like that," she said enthusiastically, already eagerly looking forward to poring through every last book for new information that could help prepare them for the fight ahead.

"I guess that just leaves me, then," Ron said, as he carefully placed his package on the table in front of Harry.

Harry began ripping off the wrapping paper, fully expecting to see Ron's usual gift of candy and Chudley Cannons products. Instead, he was shocked to see something very familiar.

It was the pocket knife that Sirius had given him, the one he'd broken in the Department of Mysteries. Or, more accurately, it was a very close replica.

"It's not exactly like the one Sirius gave you, but it was as close as I could find," Ron said apologetically. "I know it can't replace the original, but..." he trailed off, waiting for Harry to show some kind of reaction to the gift.

He had to wait a bit, because Harry had been stunned into silence. Ron usually didn't put much thought into his gifts, but this was a clear exception. He didn't know how to react to Ron's unusually thoughtful gift, or the thoughts of Sirius it dragged to the surface.

"Thanks, Ron," Harry finally replied. "These things are dead useful. And I broke my last one, of course, so..." he said, grimacing as his thoughts once again turned to that horrible night that cost him his godfather.

"If it's going to be too...hard, I could always just return it and..." Ron began, but Harry waved him off.

"Nonsense, Ron. Like I said, these things ARE really useful. It's a great gift. And besides, I can't go around pretending that night didn't happen, or Sirius didn't exist. I can't go spare whenever something reminds me of him. I have to accept what happened, and move on. That's what he would have wanted me to do."

"Well put, Harry," Lupin said quietly, as the room went silent once again.

"Well, since it seems you've opened all of your gifts, perhaps we can have our conversation now, Potter?" McGonagall said, breaking the silence.

"Sure, professor," Harry agreed, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. "Thanks for all of the gifts, everyone. And thanks for putting all this together, Mrs. Weasley. This has been the best birthday I can remember."

"Not a problem, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, smiling broadly.

McGonagall began walking out of the room, with Harry following close behind. Before she reached the doorway, however, she paused and turned back around.

"Now that I think about it, it would be best if we included Ms. Granger and Ron Weasley as well, at least for the first bit. If you would?"

Ron and Hermione both nodded their assent, and followed McGonagall and Harry out of the room. She led them into a room where they wouldn't be overheard, and once she was sure she had the full attention of all three students, she began speaking.

"First, go ahead and open that package, Potter," McGonagall said, handing Harry the present she'd withheld earlier.

Harry did as she asked, and saw what McGonagall had given him: the Gryffindor Quidditch captain's badge.

"He's made captain? That's brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, wide eyed.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley. I have decided that Potter is the best choice to captain our team. I'm confident that he'll be able to lead Gryffindor to another cup," McGonagall stated.

"What about Katie?" Harry asked. "She's a year older than me. Why didn't you make her captain?"

"Ms. Bell might be a year older than you, but the two of you both joined the team in the same year," McGonagall pointed out. "I considered her for the position as well, but I chose you because I feel you're a natural leader."

"Me? What makes you think I'm a good leader? I've never liked having the attention."

"You might not see it, Potter, but you are indeed a strong leader," McGonagall assured him. "Your work with the D.A. last year is proof enough."

"She's right, Harry," Hermione added. "We looked to you to lead us last year, and you were brilliant at it. You'll be a great captain."

Hermione pressed herself into Harry's side with a half hug, and he patted her back absently. Ron grinned and gave him a thumbs up, while McGonagall nodded to herself. All three seemed satisfied that Harry would make a good captain.

"I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to turn it down."

Hermione broke away and stared at him, as did McGonagall and Ron.

"Are you mental, Harry?" Ron said hotly. "Why would you do something like that?"

"I just don't think I'm the best choice, Ron. I don't think I can give the time and dedication to it that Oliver and Angelina did," Harry explained.

"What do you mean?" McGonagall asked.

"Being Quidditch captain is a big responsibility, and I don't think I can take it on. I'm a prime target of Voldemort's, and I need to do whatever I can to be prepared to stand up to him. I can't keep relying on luck and the help of others. I'm going to do my best to prepare myself, and it's going to take up a lot of my time and energy. I need to be ready, and that is more important than anything else."

McGonagall nodded slowly as Harry spoke, and responded shortly after he'd finished. "I see. I'm disappointed that you won't be able to accept the position, but I understand your reasoning. I hope you'll continue to be our Seeker, at least?"

"Sure," Harry affirmed. "I'll keep playing. I just don't want the extra responsibility of being captain."

Of course, he didn't even know whether he'd be back at Hogwarts in a month's time, but he wasn't about to tell McGonagall that—he wouldn't disclose that possibility until he was face-to-face with Dumbledore. If he did return, though, he knew he'd like to keep playing, time permitting.

"Good. This does put me back at square one, though. I suppose I'll offer the position to Ms. Bell, though I'm not sure if she's truly suited to be captain," McGonagall mused.

"What about Ron?" Harry blurted out. Three sets of eyes looked at him quizzically, so he explained himself. "If you're not sure about Katie as captain, I think Ron would be a good choice. I bet there isn't any other student in Hogwarts who knows as much about Quidditch as he does. He'd be great at coming up with new plays and strategies for us to run."

Ron stared at Harry, his mouth opening and closing silently, while McGonagall mulled over Harry's suggestion. Having reached a decision, she nodded and cleared her throat.

"I hadn't considered it, but I think you may be on to something, Potter. There's no denying that Mr. Weasley understands the nuances of the game better than anyone else in our House. And Katie Bell will have the added pressure of her N.E.W.T.S to deal with. What do you say, Mr. Weasley? Do you accept the position of Gryffindor Quidditch captain?"

Ron went stone-still for a moment, before his face broke into as wide a grin as Harry had ever seen from him.

"Of course!" Ron stammered, overwhelmed at the realisation of one of his childhood dreams. He stared in awe as McGonagall took the badge from Harry's hands, and placed it in his own.

"Best of luck, Mr. Weasley. Be sure to win that cup for Gryffindor," McGonagall said.

"Of-of course, Professor," Ron mumbled, still in a daze. Harry grinned and slapped his back, while Hermione looked back and forth between the two with a soft smile on her face.

"Congratulations, mate," Harry said, grinning at his friend. Ron finally managed to tear his gaze away from the badge sitting in his palm in order to look Harry in the eyes.

"Thanks, Harry," Ron said softly. Harry just smiled and shook his head. He knew how much this moment meant to Ron, and he was happy that he'd been able to help make it happen.

"Don't mention it, Ron," Harry said. "I think you're the best choice, anyhow. Now get us ready to kick some Slytherin arse!" he teased.

"You bet," Ron agreed, grinning.

"Now that that is decided," McGonagall began, gaining their attention once again, "there was a reason I asked Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley to join us. It concerns the position of prefect."

"Is there a problem, Professor? Did Ron and I not do a good job last year?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"No, nothing like that, Ms. Granger. I simply wished to clarify things. I think it's fair to say that most people assumed Mr. Potter would be named as Gryffindor prefect last year, wouldn't you agree?"

Harry and Hermione both looked uncomfortable, but it was Ron who answered the question.

"Of course," the redhead said nonchalantly. "I was as surprised as anyone else when I got the badge last year."

"Indeed. Well, I wished to let all three of you know that Potter was, in fact, my choice as prefect. However, Headmaster Dumbledore overruled me, saying that Harry would have quite enough to deal with as it was. He may well have been right, but I just wanted to clear up any confusion the three of you might have had."

"So why don't you give Harry the prefect spot now?" Ron offered. When McGonagall cocked an eyebrow at him, he went on. "I'll be pretty busy as Quidditch captain, doing whatever I need to do to make sure we win that cup. Harry could take my place as prefect. He was your first choice, anyway—and he and Hermione could probably do the job without biting each other's heads off."

"That's a generous offer, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said. "Would you be interested in the prefect position, Potter, or are you afraid it would take up too much of your time?"

Harry's first instinct was to turn the position down, just as he'd done with the captaincy. But then, he realised that if he came back to Hogwarts, being a prefect alongside Hermione would mean that they'd have plenty of time to themselves.

"I think I'll take it, Professor," he said, after thinking it over for a moment. "Being a prefect shouldn't be as demanding as being Quidditch captain would have been. Plus, I'd be in a better position to help keep the school safe in case Voldemort tries anything. Constant vigilance, as Moody would say."

"Very good, Mr. Potter. I trust you have no objections to this, Ms. Granger?"

"Of course not, Professor," Hermione said immediately. "I think Harry will be a wonderful prefect."

"That settles it, then," McGonagall said. "I trust you will take your duties seriously, Mr. Potter?"

"Absolutely, Professor," Harry said. He then looked over at Ron. "Thanks, mate. I appreciate it."

"Are you kidding, Harry? I'll take Quidditch captain over prefect any day. I should be thanking you," Ron said, chuckling. "Did you need me for anything else, Professor?" he asked of McGonagall.

"No, Mr. Weasley, I do not. You may go if you wish."

Ron took her up on her invitation, and left the room to show his family his new badge. Hermione, meanwhile, stayed where she was.

"So, that's all you wanted to talk to me about?" Harry asked, and McGonagall nodded in response. "What's Dumbledore's message, then?"

"Ah, yes," McGonagall said absently. "The Headmaster asked me to tell you that he continues to share your grief over the death of Sirius Black. He also wishes to speak with you privately about several different topics, and requests that you come visit him at Hogwarts tomorrow afternoon. We will temporarily allow access to the castle via the floo network in order to make your trip easier."

"OK, I'll be there," Harry began, "but only if Hermione can come too."

"I beg your pardon, but he requested that you come alone," McGonagall said, shaking her head.

"I don't come unless Hermione's there," Harry said firmly. "Anything the Headmaster has to say to me, he can say in front of her. And I'm pretty sure Hermione has a few thing she wants to ask him, besides."

"Very well. I will share your request with the Headmaster, and I'm sure he will send an owl along with his reply," McGonagall said.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Hermione said, glad that their Head of House had not pressed the issue or asked questions.

"You are welcome. Now, if neither of you have any additional requests, I believe it is time for me to be getting back to Hogwarts." As neither student had anything else to add, the Transfiguration instructor went off to say her farewells to the rest of the guests.

"I hope you don't mind that I included you in that," Harry said, once he and Hermione were alone.

"Mind? Of course not! I want to be there with you, Harry. I want to help you."

"So...tomorrow, we have it out with the most respected wizard alive, and try to get him to own up to all of his mistakes," Harry said slowly.

"Assuming he agrees to your demand, yes," Hermione stated. "But that's tomorrow. Today, we need to plan."

Harry nodded, and the two of them slipped off quietly, hoping to get in as much discussion as possible before anyone came looking for them.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day. They both knew that how Dumbledore reacted to what they had to say would drastically alter the course of Harry's life, one way or the other. They needed to be prepared.