Forging Alliances

Chapter 4

Harry spent quite a bit of time thinking about what had transpired between Ginny and himself before she had left his room that night. He knew that she had a crush on him when they were younger, but he assumed that she was over him after she attended the Yule Ball with Neville in his fourth year and dated Michael Corner last year. That is what Hermione had claimed anyway, he even remembered her mentioning something about Dean Thomas on the train ride home.

Before his fifth year he would have been shocked by her boldness that evening; but after getting to know her better over the last year he suspected that this was the real Ginny. In light of her kiss he began questioning himself about his feelings for her. He had been unaccustomed to attention when he arrived in the Wizarding world and because of that, Ginny's crush had been too overwhelming for him to deal with then. To put it bluntly, he knew he had not been mature enough to deal with girls at the age of eleven. However, he was no longer eleven and even had one relationship under his belt, if one would venture to call it that. He had always thought that Ginny was a pretty girl, and her flaming hair reminded him of his mother's. It was this similarity that led to him mistaking their identities when she had awoken him.

This past year he discovered that she was fun to be around, independent and resilient. She took after Fred and George more than anyone else in her family. She was understanding of his need to talk to Sirius this past year and generously offered to help him despite the risk to herself. She went with him to the Ministry, which showed she was loyal to a fault and definitely belonged in Gryffindor House. Most importantly she, unlike any of his other friends, knew what it was like to battle Voldemort mentally. She survived a year of being possessed repeatedly by him, or rather a memory of his sixteen-year-old self. If anyone was capable of understanding him it would be her. But did he like her?

Comparing all those qualities to his last crush, Cho Chang, caused him to seriously question the Asian girls' sanity. He had never known any girl to be as apparently bi-polar as Cho seemed to be. Sure she had very valid reasons but her attraction to him so soon after the death of Cedric should have tipped him off that she had some serious issues she needed to work through without the distraction of a boyfriend. He was starting to feel that Ginny would be the perfect girl for him to date; however, the big test would be how she acted the next day. He decided that if she acted awkward towards him or indicated that she meant nothing by the kiss, he would forget about it. He didn't want a girl who couldn't be herself around him. If, however, she acted normal or even brought it up in casual conversation, he would see that as a definite positive sign. He didn't want to; once again, date someone who could not keep her head on straight around him. He wanted to be treated normally and if she could do that then she was worth it in his opinion. With that decision made he was finally able to go back to sleep.

The next morning, late morning for him despite it only being half past eight, Harry was roused from a deep sleep by some very loud, driving guitar music and very unfamiliar female vocals coming from the room next to his. After rubbing the sleep from his eyes and donning some flannel trousers and a tee-shirt he went to investigate. He was somewhat amused to discover it was coming from Ginny's room and shocked when he opened the door to see her standing in the middle of the space playing an electric guitar and singing at the top of her lungs. He was certainly mistaken when he had thought it was coming from a Wizard Wireless. She was really good in his estimation, however, and he wondered why he had never heard her play before with how much time he spent with the Weasleys. She caught sight of him and smiled but kept playing through to the end of the song.

"Wow Ginny I didn't know you played the guitar."

"Well, there are a lot of things you don't know about me." She winked at him playfully. "But really, I was just playing around. Sirius wanted someone to drag you out of bed and the boys were still busy eating so I got landed with the task," she pouted playfully, "Bill brought my guitar over this morning before he went to Gringott's, and I thought that this would be a fun way to get your lazy bum out of bed."

Harry smiled. She was definitely not acting awkward; rather she was being friendly, flirting with him even; and that had the effect of clearing up a few loose ends in his mind. If her behavior was any indication that she wanted to date him, he was certainly willing to give it a try.

"How long have you been playing?" He asked.

"Oh 'bout two years. Bill and Charlie both play and started giving me lessons the summer of the World Cup. Bill promised that if I kept it up he'd get me a guitar of my own guitar, so I continued to teach myself to play his old acoustic. He and Charlie went halves and got me this one last summer before we all went to stay at Grimmauld Place. That bloody portrait of Mrs. Black made it impossible to play."

"Where did you ever find a place to play at school?"

"Sometimes I'd go up to the Astronomy Tower when no one was making an awkward adolescent attempt to fornicate and after we found the Room of Requirement, I'd go there. That was my favorite place because it would always provide tons of sheet music; a lot of it was Muggle which was a nice change from the Weird Sisters songs Bill and Charlie know and I taught myself how to play bass guitar too. I want to start learning to play a twelve-string acoustic this year."

"That's really brilliant Gin. Do you think you could teach me how to play?"

"Sure Harry; I'll make you a deal, you help me get ready for chaser tryouts, and I'll teach you to play guitar."

"Sure thing Ginny; but what about playing seeker? As far as I know I'm still banned and you're the best seeker Gryffindor has to replace me."

"I don't know Harry you might just get put back on the team." She seemed somewhat cryptic in that response.

"I doubt it, I mean that was a lifetime ban that hag put on me."

"Let's just say I have a hunch that it won't be a problem." She grinned.

"All right, you've got a deal." Harry smiled. Yes, this was definitely going to be the best summer of his thus far short life.

"Well Harry you might want to get downstairs before my brothers eat you out of house and home."

He acquiesced and went to change. Once downstairs in the kitchen, Remus fixed him a plate of eggs and rashers of bacon with a few pieces of toast, and then ordered him to eat.

"We have a busy day today pup. You still have to take the Animagus Revealing Potion then it's off to London for Sirius' reparation hearing."

"What do you think you'll get?" asked Ron.

"Well loads of Gold that's for certain and I have a bit of a surprise or three for everyone." He and Remus shared a conspiratorial glance and left the subject at that.

After Harry finished his meal, Sirius plunked a vile of blue liquid in front of him.

"All right Harry, this is the potion. I should warn you, it'll feel like you're hallucinating..."

"Because he will be hallucinating, Padfoot," Remus cut in.

"No need to get shirty Moony," Sirius turned his attention back to Harry, "Anyways, as I was saying, this is going to be pretty psychedelic. Whatever animal you see is your animagus form. The effects of the potion won't last long, just long enough to get a glimpse of your form."

"Okay then here goes nothing." Harry gulped the potion and immediately felt dizzy.

Soon the room faded around him and was replaced by garish colours much like those in Fred and George's rooms. He stood with the neon colour swirls coalescing around him then instantly he was faced with a large black cat with green eyes. He was reminded of the stories of large moor cats spotted in Scotland on the news programs he would overhear while cleaning the dishes at the Dursley's. As quick as the apparition materialized before him it vanished and he was standing, once again in the kitchen of Potter Manor. Everyone looked at him with an air of expectation; all he did was smile in return.

"So mate, tell us what you are." Ron squirmed with excitement.

"I think I'll keep you all in suspense until you tell me yours." Harry smirked mischievously.

"Well if that's how you're gonna be about it! I'm a Great Dane with freckles on my snout and blue eyes," Ron grumbled.

"We're Howler Monkeys. Gonna have a hell of a time with that one. Muggles will think we escaped from the local zoo if they see us and anyone in the Wizarding world will know we're animagi, what with the ginger ruffs around our necks," George complained.

"Dead useful if we ever need to climb trees or make a lot of noise though. Ginny's is pretty wicked," Fred chimed in.

"Yeah, I'm a puma. Tan with a little crescent moon shaped spot on my back paw like the birthmark on my foot. So fess up, what's yours Harry?"

"Not very original after hearing about yours Ginny. I'm a jaguar with green eyes so I guess I'm not the only feline in the bunch."

"Not bad Harry, I'll have to stop calling you pup now. Cub might be more appropriate," Remus commented.

"You don't have to change your name for me Moony, I like it. I think we should come up with Marauder nicknames though."

"That'll have to wait. We have to catch the Knight Bus into London soon," Sirius reminded them.

"Do you think we can stop in Muggle London afterward Sirius? Bill dropped off my birthday money early since he and Charlie will both be out of town that week until the weekend after."

"Sure thing munchkin, I'd like to pick a few things up myself now that I'm a free man." Harry had to laugh at the mutinous look she was sending Sirius' way and he took a mental note never to call her munchkin.

The trip to London was a milestone for Harry. For the first time since he'd re-entered the Wizarding world he was not the center of attention. He was not the one being stared at and he was not the topic of all the whispered conversations behind cupped hands. Sirius, unlike Harry, lapped up the attention as if he were a starving little puppy. It was no wonder his animagus form was a big, black, extremely playful dog.

They were received with all the pomp and circumstance usually received by Muggle celebrities at an awards show, Harry thought, by a large entourage of Fudge's personal assistants. They were led to a large courtroom that was flanked by the Wizengamot on one side and several representatives from various departments of the ministry on the other.

Sirius' "death" had not been made public, only a few within the ministry were notified, so there was no need for official representatives from the Department of Mysteries to verify his subsequent "resurrection" one way or another but Harry spied Keegan O'Malley who gave him a small wave and a smile. Tonks and Kingsley were there as representatives for the Aurors who had interrogated Peter Pettigrew, as was Madam Bones, the head of Magical Law Enforcement. Arthur Weasley was there to lend moral support to Sirius; he didn't have much else to do in his office that day.

The motley crew of three Hogwarts students, two purveyors of some of the most innovative joke products in all of England, a werewolf and a falsely convicted felon were seated just before Fudge called the hearing to order.

"I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, do here by call this court to order. We are here to grant reparations to one Sirius Black for the false conviction of the murders of James and Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and several Muggle bystanders and the subsequent twelve-year incarceration in Azkaban Prison. The Ministry of Magic is recommending a three million galleon sum be deposited, in full, to Mister Black's vault at Gringott's Diagon Alley branch. Are there any objections from the Wizengamot at this time?" Fudge waited through some rumblings but no one spoke out so he continued. "Fine then, Mister Black it is with the deepest sincerity that I apologize on behalf of the British Wizarding Government for the hardships thrust upon you in your lifetime. As Minister I would like to personally grant you anything you may feel would in any small way make up for the gross injustice shown you by our past administration."

"Thank you Minister. In all honesty I am a very easy man to please most of the things I wish most for are not for myself but for my godson, Harry Potter, whom I love as if he were my own son. I would ask that an investigation of his record of underage magic use be made and if any problematic findings crop up indicating that he was in fact not at fault I would like them stricken from said record. I would also ask that his lifetime ban from Quidditch be rescinded because such a punishment for a schoolyard tussle is hardly reason to bar him for life from the sport and to confiscate his broomstick. I think that an investigation of such unconventional and seemingly extreme disciplinary actions taken with my godson by the Ministry appointed High Inquisitor of Hogwarts should be carried out and if any improper actions were taken by said High Inquisitor the appropriate punishment be doled out post-haste. I do understand that one Minerva McGonagall has already called her methods into question and there is to be an investigation into those claims. Lastly I would request that I be placed as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts."

The last request was met with an uproar from a few of the more influential members of the Ministry and Wizengamot alike.

"Pardon me if I seem discourteous Mister Black but if I were able to appoint you to such a position what makes you qualified to teach said position?" Fudge asked uneasily.

"It's quite alright Minister. I will tell you what makes me qualified. I was in training to become an Auror at the time of my arrest and was easily top of the class. There are others present who attended Auror training at that time who can vouch for my high marks."

"Granted that would make you qualified to teach NEWT level defense as well as the lower level classes... I am not, however, in a position to grant that request as it is up to the Headmaster and Board of Governors of Hogwarts."

"Oh but I beg to differ, with all due respect Minister. Is it not true that the Ministry appointed the last Defense Professor? And Is it not true that the Ministry went as far as to precede the normal curriculum and implement it's own for the subject. I see no reason why the Ministry cannot act in the same manner now and save Professor Dumbledore and the Board of Governors the trouble of having to search out applicants for the position. I am of the understanding that the Headmaster is, once again, having trouble finding a qualified and willing applicant. Is that not true Professor?" The last question was spat with a great amount of disdain on Sirius' part toward the wizened old man.

"Well it is true that we do not currently have any applicants for the position..."

"Then I see no reason not to hire a willing and qualified Wizard right now wouldn't you say? I am familiar with several of the current staff and have great respect for many of them so there would be little problem building a rapport with them. As for my ability to relate to children and young adults, just ask my godson or his friends. They will tell you if I am qualified in that department."

Dumbledore's hands were tied. If he denied Sirius this one request he would become a pariah overnight and would have little or no influence over society in the war against Voldemort. For if he were seen as being cruel to a man who had been falsely accused in the first war by those apparently on the side of light people would not trust him. It was one thing to fight for your convictions and loose credibility for stating facts but to loose it by being unnecessarily cruel to a man that had lost so much already would not do at all. On the other hand having Sirius in such close proximity almost guarantied that he would not be able to reconcile with Harry and in turn loose the one person who could turn the tide of the war against Voldemort. It was true, Harry was his weapon but much like his fight against Grindewald, the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. He had to give up much and so would Harry, or so he believed.

The assembly watched Dumbledore as he mulled all his options around in his head, wondering why it would be such a hard decision to make, everyone except those in the Order, who were aware of the fallout between Sirius, Harry, Dumbledore and a number of others that is. Finally Dumbledore nodded and it took all of the self-control Harry and the others could drum up not to rupture with all their excitement. They did not think for one minute that Dumbledore did not have his reasons for acquiescing and were prepared to not let themselves be manipulated and this served as the much needed reality check. Despite all that Harry was now convinced that not only was he having the best summer ever but also that his sixth year at Hogwarts would be the most excellent of any he'd spent there.

With all business of the hearing at a close Fudge dismissed the assembly and the group staying at Potter Manor made their way to Gringott's to withdraw some galleons to have converted to pounds. It was still early yet and they had time to stop off at Harrods. Arthur met them halfway out of the building to congratulate Sirius on his good fortune and to check on his sons and daughter.

"Well you four how long are you planning to stay with Harry?"

"As long as he'll have us I reckon," Ron replied with an elbow to Harry's ribs and a grin.

"By all means Mister Weasley they're more then welcome to stay for as long as they want. My home is your home as well. You're all welcome any time."

"That's very generous of you Harry, very generous indeed. Might I have a word with you in private, Harry?"

Harry wondered what Mr. Weasley was on about. Last time he had pulled Harry aside it was to warn him about the crazed mass murderer on the loose looking for him. Of course said mass murderer was actually his godfather and was not after Harry at all but rather after Ron's rat Scabbers, also known as Peter Pettigrew the man who had really betrayed his parents. "Sure thing Mr. Weasley."

They walked some distance ahead of the group and paused.

"Harry I don't know if you are aware but Ginny's birthday is coming up and Molly and I were wondering if we could possibly hold a party for her at your home. The Burrow is just not safe enough to house all the people who would be coming. We fear it might be too much of a temptation for You-Know-Who, we'd be sitting ducks and it just wouldn't be right putting all those students and family members at risk. We've been on his list of blood traitors longer then you've been alive and there is no telling what may happen. We would have it at Grimmauld Place but the wards have been taken down and it's no longer safe there either."

"Mr. Weasley I can do better then that. I insist that you all stay with me for the rest of the summer and if things are still questionable in the safety department I want you and Mrs. Weasley to take up residence there until the war is over. Your family has done so much for me it's the least I can offer."

"That's very generous Harry and I'd normally hate to put anyone out but seeing as you have the room I think it would alleviate much of Molly's worry. I'll speak with her when I get home and if she agrees we'll be by tonight with our things."

Sirius proposed they all stop at Ollivander's so he could replace the wand that the Ministry snapped fifteen years prior. The wand he'd been given after escaping Azkaban worked well but was not a perfect match since it is the wand that picks the wizard or witch. The old shop was as dank and dusty as they remembered it being when they were eleven and getting their first wands.

"Ah Mister Black, I was wondering when I would see you again," Ollivander murmured.

"Mister Ollivander," Sirius greeted the old wand maker with a distinct look of discomfort on his face. "I've come to get a new wand."

"Yes, yes of course." The old wizard turned down one of the narrow isle ways and proceeded to pulling out boxes. "Try this, its birch with phoenix feather."

The wand let off a loud crack and the door to the back office split in two. That was one down.

"Hmm I do not think the phoenix core with that wood is appropriate any longer for you Mister Black let's try... yes let's try birch with dragon heartstring."

That combination had much more destructive results then the first so he tried ash with the same combination cores. Neither of them worked either.

"I wonder... bear with me a moment I think I have the wand you would bond with perfectly." Ollivander shuffled back down a different isle way and came back with a long dusty box.

Sirius pulled an intricately carved wand made of maple, twelve inches long, from the box. The moment he waved it gold and red sparks shot from the tip.

"Curious."

"What's curious Mister Ollivander?" Harry queried.

"Maple is seen as a celebration of the Autumnal Equinox, the cycle of death and rebirth. The same could be said for the core, a tail feather of a phoenix. Considering Mister Black's recent life altering journey it seems very appropriate."

Sirius made the purchase while everyone mulled over the old mans words, wondering if he knew Sirius was just brought back from beyond the veil in the Death Chamber. They made their way to Eyelop's to get some owl treats for Hedwig. The crups in the window of the Magical Menagerie on the way distracted Ginny so they humored her and stopped.

"Crups always creeped me out a bit," commented Harry offhandedly.

Ron laughed at him and asked what was wrong with a two-tailed Jack Russell Terrier.

"That's just it Ron, they have two tails. It's just not natural. Dogs should have one tail or maybe a stump of a tail but not two." Everyone just laughed at Harry while they moved farther into the pet shop.

Harry and Ginny started playing with a pair of kittens in on of the crates. The larger of the two was a longhaired gray tabby and the other looked as if it were the runt of the litter. It was a little pastel calico kitten that was very skittish and had a mass of energy. Ginny quickly fell in love and informed the shop attendant that she would take it home with her.

"Well miss I normally wouldn't turn down a sale but I promised the lady I got those two from not to split them up. They're the only two of their litter. She's a little one and relies on her brother there a great deal."

Ginny knew she wouldn't be able to bring both of them to school with her so she reluctantly turned to leave.

"Gin wait! I'm keen on this little guy so why don't we both get them and we could have Sirius take this little guy to Hogwarts when we go back then they could stay together and we'd both be happy with the little buggers, I'm sure."

"You'd do that Harry?" Ginny sounded touched.

"Yeah Gin, I've always liked cats, well in moderation anyway. Mrs. Figg seems to have gone overboard with all the cats she keeps but I never got to have any pets until Hedwig while living at the Dursley's. I have my own house; my own life so I can do anything I want and I want to get us these little ones. Besides with our animagus forms it might be kinda fun, we could talk to them I bet," Harry whispered the last bit in her ear and it brought an even bigger smile to her face.

They left after that; Harry with his laid back gray longhaired tabby and Ginny with the little calico. Eyelop's was a quick stop and after that they went to the Leaky Cauldron. The group shed their wizard robes and walked out to the Muggle side of London.

Remus offered to take the teens to a nearby street market citing it as a good place to get unique muggle clothes and other items they might like to see. Muggle clothes were what Ginny was aiming for as she had taken a liking to them when Harry had taken them shopping. Sirius opted out claiming that now he was going to be a professor at Hogwarts and thus was in dire need of a hair cut before it got too long and he started looking like a dark version of Lucius Malfoy. The twins decided to go with him claiming a need to research muggle hair care products for a new line of prank items. With their activities planned out they split up intending to meet back in four hours time.

Remus led Harry, Ginny and Ron to the Charing Cross tube station where they caught the Northern line to Camden Town. They walked to the market and upon arrival all three teens were in awe each for different reasons.

Harry had never been to a street market before despite growing up in the Muggle world and was entranced by all the different people he saw there as well as the plethora of wears and services offered. He spied a club that had potential; they could very easily have a good time there some time later that summer. The tattoo and piercing shops caught his fancy for some reason. After some thought he chalked it up to his finally being able to express himself with his own style instead of wearing Dudley's old cast-offs and the fact that some of his new favorite musicians had some wicked skin art facilitated the interest as well.

Ron decided that his father's obsession with all things Muggle was not all that off now that he'd been exposed to what he dubbed as the Muggle equivalent of a broom, the skateboard. The lip, eyebrow, nose and tongue pierced Muggles were rather fascinating as well in his mind. He insisted on getting a skateboard despite his major inability to ride one with any grace or balance but he argued that he would just have to practice and have Dean and Seamus teach him how to use it correctly once back at school.

Ginny was elated to find out that vintage, or hand-me-down clothes as she knew them, were actually in style in the Muggle world and thought that she had found a gold mine of fashion due to the low prices and the fantastic conversion rate of galleons to pounds. She, despite giving off the air of having a tomboyish nature, was quite the connoisseur of fashion, which left her wide open for ridicule and teasing from Ron. In retaliation she insisted on trying on any and all very revealing ensembles that she could find and caused Ron's face to turn beet red and set Harry laughing at their antics, when he was not distracted by Ginny's figure that is.

Harry picked out some more CD's for his ever-growing music collection. This time around he purchased CD's by The Wallflowers, Cannonball, The Violent Femmes, James, The Verve, Big Country, The Cardigans, Mazzy Star, and Gin Blossoms. He was becoming very taken with a large number of bands and loved rock and alternative music as well as American and British bands alike. Ginny had been invaluable in picking out bands he would like. Her guitar lessons had made her very knowledgeable about muggle music and their tastes, being influenced by Bill, were very similar. He also had fun picking out some eccentric ensembles with the help of Ginny.

Ron was not interested in much, other then his skateboard but did get some music along with Harry. He did not, however, want anything to do with clubwear or vintage attire, insisting that if he were to buy himself something to wear it would be brand new and rather non-descript contrary to the styles Harry and Ginny purchased.

Ginny was enthralled by what Muggles called clubwear she had, in no time at all, purchased a well established assortment of Muggle apparel complete with shoes and accessories. All of the outfits were slightly revealing, which Harry thought was brilliant, including a tight pair of leather trousers that she insisted every future rock star needed. She also had henna tattoos done on her hands like the ones she'd seen Parvati doing for Lavender in the Common Room.

Meanwhile Sirius and the twins found a place to get Sirius spruced up. Being pardoned had him in the best mood in fifteen years and he was very much inclined to get himself all cleaned up. Being on his way to forty and having spent too many years locked up in one fashion or another had him on the fast track to what he knew Muggles called a mid-life crisis. He was not about to let himself go now that he had a life worth living.

Fred and George were fascinated by Muggle hair treatments. They discovered they had ways of changing color, straitening and curling just using "Muggle potions" or heated gadgets. This discovery gave them endless material for their new prank line. They even went as far as to buy a few of the "potions" and gadgets, called curlers, to experiment with. They were debating how to develop a potion to make hair invisible and one to make it grow or shrink depending on the normal style of the victim as well as a few other pranks.

Sirius dragged them to Harrod's so he could replace the Muggle clothing he owned that was no longer appropriate or up to date. The twins were not all that interested in the little side trip until Sirius informed them that he would be refusing to wear traditional wizard robes but rather Muggle clothes while teaching at Hogwarts. Once they heard that one of their idols of mischief making was at it again they jumped right on board and helped him. By the time they were done the attendant said he looked quite fit and proceeded to slip Sirius his mobile number. Sirius tried to play it off but once they'd left the department store started laughing a bit. Witches had flirted with him, Muggle women as well, plenty of times but that had been the first time he had been hit on by a man, if you could have called him that. The attendant could only have been a year out of school at most. It was a bit of an ego boost though, if he was interested in blokes he might have considered flirting back, however as it was the female form captured and held all of his attention.

With much energy and even more money spent the two groups met back at the Leaky Cauldron. They took the Knight Bus back to Potter Manor and were met by Arthur and Molly Weasley, who had been situated into their new room by Dinzy.

Dinner was a very familial affair and Harry basked in the presence of what he had come to think of as his family. They all took turns telling the matriarch and patriarch of the Weasley clan what they had done and what they had bought. Ginny played down her newly purchased attire, as she knew her mother would have a fit if she saw it. Ron had his father in raptures over his new skateboard, Molly was not at all impressed with it and insisted he would fall off and break his head open 'wheels weren't meant to move people' in her opinion. Harry suspected that was the basis of all her objection to the enchanted car currently residing in the Forbidden Forest which used to belong to her husband. They all complimented Sirius on his changes and Molly gushed over how well he cleaned up and how fit he looked with his short hair and trimmed goatee. Harry could have sworn he heard her muttering about how she wished he could pass on some of his common sense to her eldest son, with him and his long hair and earring.

After dinner they brain stormed what should be done to celebrate Harry's birthday.

"I think you should make a three day affair of it and have everyone stay over. We could have Quidditch and swimming and any number of other games. Everyone form the DA would fit in this house with room to spare. We could even have a celebration for Neville's birthday the first night too."

"That'd be fun Gin. This will be my first birthday party I might as well make up for the lack there of in previous years. I think I want to invite a few people who weren't in the DA too though."

"I don't see why not but what would you do about the wards? How would anyone find it? And what if someone has ties to Death Eaters how will you keep them from giving away your location?"

"Whoa there Gin! Are you channeling Hermione or something?"

"Oh shut up Ron!"

"Well Gin I was thinking maybe we could get Tonks or Kingsley to make some emergency portkeys that only work once round trip. They could be set up so the guests don't know the exact location but can leave if they need to and if the parents want to get in contact with us I can get the floo opened up for floo calls only I'm sure."

"That would work, I think," Ginny acquiesced.

They made a list of students past and present that Harry wanted to have attend his party. They also came up with a schedule for Quidditch and billiards tournaments. The rooms would be refurbished to house up to four people, at most, per suite. Ginny came up with room assignments for everyone and Dinzy assigned at least one but sometimes two house elves per room. Invitations were drawn up and sent out that evening and much to Hedwig's chagrin the other house owls were used for the great task. Harry sent a special letter to Neville inviting him and offering to have a party the first night to celebrate his birthday as well as Harry's which he did send Hedwig off with after he coaxed her out of her bad mood. Molly set the menu for the three evenings as well as made a list of snacks they would need.

While everyone was making preparations Sirius and the twins started plotting for the prank of all pranks ever to be played on Harry. Remus just listened in and shook his head in amusement. He did swear he would keep quiet about the whole thing but refused to take part in it. He wasn't about to incur the wrath of Molly Weasley even for his life! Or so he claimed.

After all the planning was done and preparations made the group congregated to the sitting room. Harry and Ginny were playing with their new kittens, trying to come up with names for them. Harry finally picked 'Tigger' after one of his favorite childhood story characters his teachers from Muggle school would read to his class. Ginny named her kitten 'Phooka' because of her almost bi-polar behavior which was much like the fabled creatures. One minute she would be relaxed and purring, letting Ginny pet her then the next minute she'd be dashing around the room at top speed like a bat out of Hades. They all got a laugh at how the little she-kitten would wrestle her big brother into the carpet while he would just lie there as if nothing was amiss. Harry realized that 'Tigger' was probably not the most appropriate name for such a laid back little kitty but the name stuck and he couldn't think of anything else he liked better.

Harry was one of the first to retire being tired from the dream he had the night before and the subsequent kiss from Ginny after she had woke him from it. He had been up too long mulling that all over and wanted to get some much needed rest. He pulled out his sketchbook in which he kept all his drawings of Hedwig and his friends. It was the one thing he did not share with anyone; the one thing that was his own that no one knew about.

There had been a moment in London where Ginny was getting her henna tattoos done that he had to capture. She had been sitting with her back to him but her face was turned so that he could see her profile. The sun had caught her hair and made it shimmer like a flame. At that moment he thought Cho Chang, his first crush, had never looked so beautiful and pure. Her skin was milky white and her eyes were the deepest coffee brown he'd ever seen. Her shoulders were dusted with light freckles that had him mesmerized and her lacy cameo top accentuated her elegant shoulder blades, resting just below them. The image had been burned into his memory and he wanted to make sure it was immortalized on paper forever.

He worked on the sketch longer then he had intended. It was nearly one in the morning when he heard a knock at the door. Quickly and haphazardly he tucked the sketchbook away and called out that the door was unlocked. Ginny walked in. She ventured over to Harry's bed and sat down, the black bound book catching her eye as she did so.

"I thought you were tired Mister Potter. What are you doing awake?"

"I got caught up in something is all," he murmured.

"Mmmm and what would be so fascinating to capture the attention of a tired wizard such as yourself?"

"Beauty," he said simply.

"Really? Would that beauty be contained here?" She pulled the book out from under his cover and flipped it open.

Her eyes widened in surprise. She, like everyone else, had no idea Harry had such a talent. She flipped the pages giving each sketch its due attention. Her eyes widened in wonder when she reached the very detailed drawing of herself from earlier that day.

"Harry I..."

"Listen Ginny I'm sorry if it bothers you that I sketched you but you looked so perfect at that moment I just had to..."

"No Harry it's... it's beautiful. I mean I'm not saying I'm beautiful or anything but you have such an eye for detail. I've never seen anything like it."

"Well you are beautiful Ginny that's why I had to capture yo..."

He was interrupted by her lips pressing against his. The impact of the kiss was so forceful that he was pushed back onto the pillows behind him. He brushed his hands up and down her sides as she buried her fingers in his hair and deepened the kiss running her tongue along his bottom lip. He instinctually opened his mouth to let her deeper. The kiss was nothing like he'd ever imagined a kiss could be like. It was wet but not the way his kiss with Cho had been.

Many moments later they broke apart and Ginny left for her room with nothing but a parting smile caressing her lips. Harry knew there was no way he was getting to sleep any time soon; if anything he needed a cold shower to calm him down.

"Forget Voldemort! Ginny Weasley will be the death of me," he muttered on the way to the bathroom.