Harry Potter and the Rise of Terror

A chilly breeze swept across the street rustling the fall leaves, sending them racing around, as the sun sank slowly behind the trees on a brisk fall afternoon. Shuffling his feet as if he had no where to be going on this day, Harry Potter made his way down the street. Walking through the gate that led to Godric's Hollow, Harry closed it back and continued up the familiar street of his childhood. Ten years and exactly two months and thirty days he had lived in the same house. Not much had changed.

His favorite tree to climb was still growing in the back yard, just outside of his bedroom window, where if he felt the urge, he could reach out and touch the tree. It was the same tree that both he and Ron Weasley had fallen out of more times than either of them could remember (or much less, cared to remember). The same fence bordered the yard in the back and the same small frog pond was in the back right corner. It was the same three story house that it had always been.

Looking up towards his house, he could see his mother inside the kitchen undoubtedly preparing dinner and he saw his father sneak up on her and surprise her from behind. Grinning, Harry knew that this was the life and he wanted no other life than this. Living a life like he knew his mother's sister, Petunia, did was not his idea of how one should live.

The setting sun cast an surrealistic orange glow on the street that had old and vastly large houses lining the sides of the streets with trees growing in the front yards that had to be older than even Dumbledore. Leaves of golden yellow and apple red fluttered down to the ground and Harry walked over them, making a crunching noise which filled up the silence of his walk.

"Harry!" a little voice called from behind him and Harry stopped to wait; so much for a silent walk home. "You walk too fast!"

"You walk too slowly," Harry replied as his younger sister caught back up to him. Anna's hair, much like her mother's, shone coppery in the setting sun, and Harry was reminded very much of the Weasleys because Anna could fit right in with their family. Her hair was not quite as red, but it was no doubt a reddish tint. Ron and Harry often called Anna and Ginny twins because of their similar looks and the fact that they acted very similar.

"I do not," Anna said, pouting. Harry and Anna were unquestionably brother and sister, anyone could tell from just one glance at the two of them. It wasn't because they looked so much like each other, they really didn't, but it was because the whole wizarding world knew who they were from the moment they were born. If you didn't know who Harry and Anna were, you were very far behind in wizarding news and social affairs.

Their parents were the famous Lily and James Potter. Head Boy and Girl in their day at Hogwarts - you never knew a finer witch or wizard. Harry and Anna both knew this because everyone told them so. Next year, Harry would be off to Hogwarts and the year after, Anna would be going. She would be the youngest of her year, because she was born so late. Her birthday was in December, only two months from now, Harry remembered vaguely.

"C'mon, Anna," Harry said. "Hurry it up already."

Swinging the front door open with a satisfying creak, they walked inside and Anna slammed the door behind her.

"Anna!" Lily Potter yelled from the kitchen, her voice carrying through the den and out into the entrance foyer where Harry and Anna were pulling off their shoes.

"Sorry, mum!" Anna called back, not looking the least bit sorry at all. Harry rolled his eyes. Sure, his sister could look all sweet and innocent out in public, but the girl was anything but. Ron and Harry both agreed that they should probably keep the influences of the twins away from her, as much as possible.

Harry slipped up the stairs quietly and at the top he turned to the right and went down the long hallway to the end. This was his domain; his room. His room suited him perfectly; it was big, but not too big. It was the same bedroom that he had had since he was born. Now, it was painted a dark, almost shining, blue and had dark mahogany wooden furniture in it including a double sized bed, a wardrobe, and a desk that looked out the window into the back yard. There were pictures scattered everywhere of him and Ron and some of their other friends. There was a ton from quidditch matches and from the Weasley's house, which was like a second home to him.

Lying on his back on his bed, listening to the clatter in the kitchen below him, and watching the trees swaying in the fall wind outside, Harry knew this life was a gift to him. Even at ten years old, he understood for about three years now how lucky he was to be alive. Heck, even little-not-so-innocent Anna shouldn't be alive. Everyone knew that they should be dead, which was another reason why they were so famous.

Voldemort, well, Harry didn't quite know all the details, but he knew enough to get by with. He knew how Voldemort had showed up to his house, this house, nine years ago tomorrow. Actually, that was all he really knew. No one liked to talk about what happened that night, other than the fact that Voldemort was killed. It really wasn't much information at all. Harry closed his eyes momentarily, briefly remembering the green glow that had lit up his room for a full three minutes at least that night; it was all he remembered, and he hardly remembered it at all.

The problem with being famous was that he couldn't recall exactly what happened that night; he couldn't give an eye witness account because he was only one for crying out loud! Anna wasn't even born yet. They're famous for something they don't remember and Harry and Anna both agreed that it was really annoying how people would ask them what they remembered from that night.

But the nightmares live on.

The doorbell downstairs rang, merrily echoing through the house. Harry smiled and rolled off his bed. Sirius was here and there was nothing better than dinner with Uncle Sirius. Remus would be here soon as well; Harry knew he better change his shirt and get downstairs.

Pulling on a dark green tee shirt and blue jeans, Harry walked purposely over to the mirror above the sink in the corner of his room. Grabbing the brush off the table under the mirror Harry poised it above his hair, ready for the attack. Running the brush through his hair slowly, as if to train his hair to go where he wanted it Harry attempted to brush his hair. Pulling the brush away, Harry watched as he always did as his hair simply went back to being messy again.

"Dear, one would think that after the one hundredth thousand time that you had done that, you would learn that there is no way your hair will be neat," the mirror said, laughing at his attempts.

"One would think that a mirror would learn when people are going to ignore what it says anyway and take no note to any sarcastic comments," Harry retorted, rolling his eyes. Of course, he got stuck with the mirror that loved to poke fun at him, and his sister got the nice, compliment giving one. "And you've been keeping count?"

"I've got nothing better to do!"

"One normally considers lengthy conversations with a mirror to be a bit... strange, if you catch my drift," Sirius said, leaning casually on the door frame to Harry's room. "Now if your conversation with the mirror is over, care to join us downstairs?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Harry said, putting the brush down on the table and walking out the door, under Sirius' arm. Sirius reached out to ruffle Harry's hair, just to annoy him because Harry had just gotten it to a semi-decent state.

Glaring at his god-father playfully, Harry walked on down the hall and down the stairs just as the doorbell rang again.

"UNCLE REMUS!" Anna yelled, flying out of the kitchen and down the hall into the entrance foyer. "UNCLE REMUS!"

"I think he heard you the first time, question is, do you think they heard you in Russia?" Harry asked, as his sister whizzed past him

"Harry, shut up," she retorted, pulling open the door. "Hi, Uncle Remus!!"

"How's it going, little one?" Remus asked, stepping inside to the warmth of the house. He reached down and swung Anna up in the air before setting her back down on the ground.

"I am not little," Anna protested furiously, eyes narrowing. "I'm nine years old and that's hardly little. It's only one year less than Harry and you don't call him little." She turned and stomped off, determined not to speak to Remus, even though everyone knew she would be back to her old self in only a matter of minutes.

"Remus," James said, acknowledging his old friend. Remus raised his eye brows at the formal greeting and James only shrugged. "Lily said that we never act any more mature than we were in seventh year, even though we're a whole lot older."

"I'm mature!" Sirius hollered down the hallway to Lily in the kitchen. "You just don't ever see the mature side of me!"

"That's the truth," Lily called back. "Dinner won't be ready for another thirty minutes or so."

"I'm taking that's our cue to stay out of the kitchen?"

James nodded, motioning for Remus and Sirius to follow him to his study. Harry was left standing in the foyer, with the front door wide open. Shutting the door, he tip-toed quietly down the hallway towards his father's study.

Ever since he could remember, he'd been strictly told that this room was completely off limits and so he'd never dared to venture inside. Neither had Anna. This room, he knew, held all sorts of things that had to do with the Dark Arts and aurors and other mysterious stuff that Harry had no clue what their purpose was. It was here that his father, Remus, and Sirius always went off to talk to their secret things, which always annoyed Harry to no end. What could he say? He wanted to know what was going on.

Pausing outside the door, Harry knew that the best thing to do was not eavesdrop - from there anyway. His mother would see him and he would be in so much trouble. Instead, Harry did the next best thing.

"What are you doing here?" Harry hissed, as he slid under his parent's bed in their room upstairs, which was conveniently located over his father's study. Under here was his toy stethoscope, as well as Anna's, and Anna was under the bed as well.

"Shut up!" she mouthed back, slinging him his stethoscope across the wooden floor silently. Harry scowled but put it on and started to listen. He and Anna lay pressed up against the wooden floor, side by side, with their feet just barely concealed by the left side of the bed. Putting the stethoscope on the floor and pressing down, he heard bits and pieces of a conversation below. It was a wonder why his parents hadn't ever thought of a silencing bubble around the room. No matter, it was to his advantage that they hadn't.

"I don't understand though, how is this plan going to work?" Harry thought for a moment, trying to place the voice. It had to be Remus.

"Dumbledore has all the little details worked out; he'd be able to better explain it." That was Sirius, Harry knew for a fact. There was a long pause before Harry heard Remus again.

"Yes... he's perfectly right in worrying, hell, I'm worried too. Nothing's been seen like this in years..."

"Care to explain what you're doing?" James said, his face appearing upside down over the edge of the bed and scaring the daylights out of Harry and Anna.

"Listening to make sure that there are no rats running around under the floor boards," Anna explained. "I sure wouldn't want to wake up with a rat in my bed!"

James look skeptically at his two children before climbing off the bed and pulling them both out by their feet; Anna in his right hand and Harry in his left. Holding out his hand silently, Harry and Anna handed him their stethoscopes with sullen expressions on their face. Their gig was up and they were in deep trouble.

"Go downstairs and stay away from the study," James said quietly, turning away from them. Anna shrugged and left the room to go downstairs. After a moment or two, Harry turned and followed as well. A distinct pop! Sounded in the room as soon as the door clicked shut.

"Evening, James," Professor Dumbledore said cheerfully from the fireplace. "How is it going?"

"Harry and Anna are getting way too sneaky," James replied, running his hands through his hair. "Other than that, plenty of other suspicious things are happening."

"Are you trying to tell me that your own children are sneaky?" Dumbledore said, looking deep in thought. "I don't think that I would have ever guessed that your children would be masters of eavesdropping. No, the thought never crossed my mind."

James laughed. "Of course, like father, like son," he said. "Oh and daughter; Anna was up here faster than Harry was."

"I must look out for them in a few years then," Dumbledore said. "But this is not the reason that I came to visit. James, the signs are clearer than ever before."

Massaging his temples, James sighed. "I know, I know. It's been inevitable since day one, but I was hoping that it could be delayed just a little bit longer. We've worked so hard for the past decade. That work will not go down the drain! If it's the last thing I do, Voldemort will not come back to power." He slammed his hand against the wall to accentuate his point.

"I understand, James," Dumbledore stated, nodding his head. "I'll leave you to your meal then, I do believe that Lily has finished cooking." With a pop, he was gone.

James walked down the stairs, thankfully noting that neither Anna nor Harry were seen along the way, meaning that they had stayed clear of the bedroom. Simple silencing charms also did the trick, if they were still outside, they wouldn't have heard a thing.

"C'mon Prongs!" Sirius bellowed from the kitchen. "It's time to eat and Lily won't let us until you're here!"

"Do you have to yell?" Lily asked, swatting Sirius on the back of his head with a newspaper.

"How else is Prongs supposed to hear?"

"I'm here, let's eat!" James announced, putting on a convincing smile as he went through the swinging door into the kitchen. All he wanted was just another year free of the terrors that had reigned ten years ago. Was it really so much to ask?

At precisely four after seven, Harry rolled over onto his back, willing himself to go back to sleep. He knew that he'd forgotten to study for his spelling test today at school and he really needed to pass it, otherwise he'd be in so much trouble. As much as he really wanted to stay in bed, it was after all Halloween, and there was the party at school to look forward to as well as that night. It wasn't often that Halloween fell on a Friday night so he knew that he'd be able to stay up late tonight instead of going to bed early to get enough sleep for school.

Harry stepped out of bed onto the wooden floor, wincing slightly at its chill. Hurrying over to the rug in front of his wardrobe, he swung the doors open and peered inside, looking for an outfit. The primary school that he attended was a magical school, and they were required to wear wizard's robes. At the school, they learned everything that Muggle children learned, along with other things that would prepare them for Hogwarts.

Under his robes, Harry wore a black tee shirt that bore the emblem of his favorite band, The Weird Sisters, and a pair of jeans. He pulled on his black robes with the school emblem on the back and shoes, and with out even bothering to attempt to comb his hair, he hurried down the stairs.

"Would you go make sure Anna is getting ready, Harry?" Lily asked as he walked into the kitchen. "If she's not, tell her that she needs to get ready now, or she's coming in early tonight."

To come in early on Halloween night was the ultimate punishment to any wizarding child. It was one of the most important holidays in the entire year and it was always a lot of fun.

"Sure," Harry said, and he went back upstairs and with out even bothering to knock, he walked right in to Anna's room.

"HARRY!" Anna screeched at him. "Do you ever learn to knock?"

"No," Harry replied honestly. "Mom said to get ready and get downstairs or, her exact words were, you'll be coming in early tonight."

Deciding that it might best to stop reading her magazine, Anna got up and went to her wardrobe to get dressed.

"Harry, leave," Anna said, rolling her eyes as her brother walked out the door.

Fifteen minutes later, after eating breakfast, Harry and Anna walked down their front steps and saw Ginny and Ron approaching. Not wanting to cause an argument between the siblings before school started; Anna and Ginny walked up ahead, and Ron and Harry walked behind them.

Harry quickly told Ron what he and Anna had overheard the night before.

"Something's up, but we can't figure out what," Harry explained.

"Somehow I don't see you and Anna working together to figure anything out like that," Ron said, looking at Harry with amusement. It was another well known fact that Harry and Anna were often at ends with one another, and the hexes that they knew were more numerous than that of most of the fourth years at Hogwarts.

"We can work together," Harry protested, "just not ninety-nine percent of the time. The other one percent we can."

"Ok, Mr. Math-whatever-you-call-em-guy," Ron said, rolling his eyes as they walked across the front lawn of the school. Their primary school was a two story brick building complete with two large play grounds outside, as well as a quidditch field that was well hidden with charms.

"Uh, Ron, it would be called a mathematician."

"You don't have to be so mean about it, Jilly," Ron pouted, casting her 'the look' along with a frown.

"I'm just kidding!" Jilly said, grinning. She reached over and grabbed Ron's arm, dragging him off towards the school.

The school bell clanged loudly just moments after Harry and Ron took their seats near the middle of the room. Jilly, whose real name was Jillian McGrahm, sat two seats ahead of them with her other friends. Ron didn't get along with either Hallie Rienal or Becca Porter because of some fight the three of them had in third grade. It was pointless, really. The class jabbered away quietly for a minute as they all took their seats and pulled out last night's homework from their spelling list.

"Pssst," Courtney whispered, sliding a note to Harry from the right of his desk. Courtney Jones and Harry had been friends since they were crawling in diapers because Courtney's mum, Hestia, worked with James and Lily for the ministry, and had for a real long time.

She looked at Harry and tried to pass of an angelic look, which failed to work since they were about six. Courtney used to be a lot taller than Harry, but he had quickly caught up in height and he was just about two inches taller than her now. It was his only advantage, as she was one of the cleverest people that Harry knew that was his age. His height was the only thing he could use against her, because she had to look up a little to talk to him.

Harry opened the note.

So... buddy ol' pal... Groaning, Harry knew already that Courtney wanted something. Yea, I know what you're thinking, but really, it's nothing too bad! Just wait at your house for me cause I don't feel like walking with Robby the whole night. He can hang out with Anna and Ginny, right? Please? =)

He scribbled back a reply.

Fine, I'll make sure that we wait for you. But as soon as it gets dark, we're out.

Harry handed the note back to Courtney who grinned and gave him a thumbs up. Just then, Mrs. Rennembaum walked into the room, making all chatter immediately stop.

"You can all put your homework and such away, we have a special visitor today," she said, not at all looking happy about the visitor. Harry looked at Courtney and Ron who both shrugged. They knew as little as he did. "I'd like for all of you to meet Alastor Moody."

A sharp intake of breath came from Harry's right, and Harry felt like he should have the same reaction. After all, this was Alastor Moody! Mad-eye Moody, as some people called him, is one of the most well known Aurors in all of England, just like Harry's dad was, as well as Courtney's mum. But the difference here is that Moody is one of the trickiest, sneakiest, and most intimidating of them all; he'd also taught both James and Hestia when they first joined the auror ranks. He was a legend himself and incredibly powerful. What surprised Harry the most is that Moody was here, on Halloween, ten years after the day Voldemort had fallen when trying to kill Harry's family.

It was easy to see why Mrs. Rennembaum did not want Alastor Moody there. No doubt he was going to talk about Voldemort and that was still a very tender subject these days. Parents most likely did not want their children exposed to this at the age of ten, and Mrs. Rennembaum knew she was going to get an earful tomorrow. Yet, the ministry had insisted on it, so she had to go with the plan.

"Mornin' class," Moody growled as he entered the room. His magical eye was revolving at a wicked fast pace, observing everything around him. "I suppose you know what today is?"

"Halloween, duh," a boy with pointed features from near the back drawled out. "Everybody knows that, even the Muggles."

"Yet you do not even know the significance of today, do you? Why today, this particular Halloween is so different than all the others? Surely you, son of Lucius Malfoy, would know." Moody's magical eye focused in on Draco Malfoy. "Since you lack the knowledge, maybe someone else in your class will know."

"It's been ten years, today," Harry said. Like Malfoy, he didn't bother to raise his hand to talk. Moody didn't seem to mind.

"You'd be James' son, right?" Harry nodded. "You look much like him, as I'm sure you already know." He nodded again. "Young Mister Potter is right; today marks the tenth year since Voldemort has fallen."

Several girls gasped at the free use of the name and even some of the boys flinched. Neither Harry nor Courtney did because their parents would not tolerate such nonsense.

Today meant something to Harry because he should have died ten years ago on this very day. It was all a part of an elaborate scheme to kill him and his family, and even little Anna who hadn't been born yet would have been killed. The thought made Harry sick; he couldn't imagine a life with out Anna, even as annoying as she was. But because the plan was foiled, the Potter family survived and instantly was in the spot light. Never once had Voldemort or his Death Eaters failed in killing a family once they had decided to kill them. Never once has his plans been thwarted, and yet they were, and he was killed.

The details were sketchy and unknown to Harry as to why Voldemort fell. Nobody was ever willing to talk about it, and the information was impossible to come across. From the stories that Harry had heard about what the Restricted Section at Hogwarts held, he was sure that the information was in there. That was one thing that he had plans to do as soon as he got there. Then again, someone there was bound to know and maybe, hopefully, by being eleven years old, someone might feel that he was old enough to understand what really happened that night.

It would be a long shot, anyway, for him to actually get into the Restricted Section and find what he was looking for without getting caught by the care taker, whomever it may be, invisibility cloak or not.

"Voldemort's rise to power started as soon as he left Hogwarts," Moody explained, going into a spill about the history of his rise and hopefully, Harry thought, his fall as well. "His followers joined him because they were scared or maybe they even wanted a little bit of the power he had. Power was something he had alright, because he terrified everyone, and the fear gave him the power to do whatever he wanted to do. Of course, there were people like aurors out there, but those days you didn't know who was on what side.

"There are a lot of things that I can't tell you at this age, but you have to know that in those days, anyone could walk home to their house and find the worst inside. People feared for themselves, their families, and their friends. Our world wasn't the only one affected, there were plenty of Muggles killed and tortured as well. I'm sure you all know that Voldemort's campaign was to rid the world of all Muggle-borns as well as Muggles."

"Once he decided that it was your time to be killed, you didn't stand a chance. He killed some of the most well known and skilled witches and wizards in their day. Only one family has ever survived after he decided to kill 'em."

Alastor Moody stayed for the majority of the day, talking to the fifth grade class about the rise of Voldemort. He had their attention until the moment his cloak swished out of the door and even after that. Mrs. Rennembaum decided not to teach anymore, since there was only about half an hour left in the day, and let the class talk and play games inside.

The bell rang shortly, and all the students from the school poured outside and hurried home to start getting ready for the night.

"That was wicked today," Ron said, tossing his book bag on the ground. Harry's bag quickly followed.

"Yea, that's more information about Him than I've ever been able to find out. I wonder why they had him come to our class."

"I don't know; Fred and George never said anything about him coming to their class last year," Ron said.

"Who come to your class?" Anna asked when she and Ginny walked over to their brothers.

"Moody," he replied quickly.

"As in Alastor Moody? That's not fair! Nobody exciting ever comes to talk to our classes," Anna said, stomping her foot on the ground. Ginny looked equally as upset.

"Ron! Ginny!" They looked up to find their mother, Mrs. Weasley, hurrying across the school yard towards them. "Have you forgotten? We're going to Diagon Alley to go pick up a few things; I told both of you that this morning!"

"Sorry, mum," Ginny replied. "But Harry and Ron were just telling us about their visitor to class today." Ron and Harry both groaned on the inside, it wasn't going to be pretty when their parents found out.

"Who was your visitor?" Mrs. Weasley asked, clearly interested. Anna and Ginny grinned mischievously; they knew that there was going to be an argument Monday at school, if it didn't start right now.

"Moody," Ron muttered quietly.

"Who?" Mrs. Weasley asked sharply, hoping what she heard was wrong. Because if Moody had come to speak to the class, it was undoubtedly about Voldemort and that was not a thing to talk to ten year olds about! They shouldn't hear about that stuff until they were at least in Hogwarts.

"Alastor Moody," Ron said louder, refusing to look his mother in the eye.

"You're not joking?"

"No, mum, he came and he talked about you-know-who. Ok? There, I said it."

Mrs. Weasley looked flushed but she said nothing more on the topic. "Never mind that, we better hurry. It was good seeing you Harry, Anna."

They watched as the Weasleys walked over to the school and into the small building where the floo network was hooked up, so that children who couldn't walk to school could just floo in.

"Harry, are you coming?" Anna asked, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited on her brother to hurry up. "I'm ready to get home and get this party started!"

"You are way too excited," Harry muttered under his breath. Nevertheless, he hurried up and they walked quickly home, for he too was really excited about the night. It was, after all, the next best holiday after National Quidditch day and Christmas.

Anna ran ahead of Harry as soon as their house came into view because she wanted to go flying around in the backyard for a little while before she had to start getting ready for tonight. Instead of joining Anna, Harry went inside to find something good to snack on. However, upon entering the house, he really wished that he had decided to go flying around with Anna.

James came flying around the corner, heading away from the kitchen and down the hall.

"Rictusempra!" A hex whizzed past Harry, narrowly missing him, as Sirius came charging down the stairs and hurried after James. Harry backed out the still open front door and shut the door calmly as if he had seen nothing. His mum couldn't be home because his dad and Sirius only do stuff like that when she isn't. They didn't dare do that when she was home.

Sure enough, about a minute later, Harry looked up from the long wooden swing that was on the far left end of the front porch as he heard a faint pop sound. At the same time, a loud crash sounded from the inside.

"What's going on, or do I even want to know?" Lily asked, scowling as she knew what the answer would most likely be.

"I decided it was safer out here," Harry said, grinning. "But I'm very tempted to go back in there and join in on the fun." The front door swung open quickly and Anna, on her broom, came flying out.

"ANNA! YOU WEASEL!" Sirius shouted from inside, running towards the door. From the loud, resounding thumps, it sounded like James was going down the stairs and after Anna as well. Anna flew out through the front yard and over by a tree. Jumping off her broom as soon as she was a foot or two above the ground, she ran behind the tree.

Sirius ran outside, and quickly slowed down upon seeing Lily.

"Lily, how was your shopping trip?" he asked, grinning cheekily, and acting very polite and well mannered as he tried to straighten out his robes. James, on the other hand, kept running out the door and right into Sirius, and they both fell down the front steps, landing in a heap on the front lawn.

"I swear, I can never leave you two alone," Lily said, laughing at their antics.

James looked up, pouting a little. "You don't trust us?"

"Not when you two have the house to yourself and you've had a lot of sugar," Lily explained. "You still act like you did in seventh year; that's never going to change is it?"

"Why would we want to act our age again?" Sirius asked, standing up and brushing off his robes.

"Oh, never mind," Lily said and she walked into the house carrying her purchases. James and Sirius gave each other a high five for not getting yelled at, and they didn't see Anna sneaking around towards the back of the house. No doubt that she was going to try and sneak up the trellis and into her bedroom that way.

In the kitchen, Harry found that his mum had already made a snack for him and Anna; cookies and milk. Lily was buzzing around the house, putting final touches on all the Halloween decorations. Harry and Anna knew that their mum was trying to make today as cheerful as possible, hence the reason that James and Sirius were so overly hyper. Nobody wanted to remember or even think about what could have happened ten years ago.

After eating, Harry went across the street to Remus' house and stepped up onto the front porch to ring the doorbell. Not a single house on the street looked similar, and to Harry, Remus' house was by far the most interesting on the inside even if it wasn't on the outside. Being an auror, Remus has tons of interesting things in his house, and it wasn't "child-proof" like his own house was.

"Harry," Remus said, giving him a nod as he opened the door.

"Mum said to come over around five-thirty instead of six," Harry said, correctly relating the information to Remus.

"Is that all she sent you over here for?" he asked, laughing. "She should know by now that I'll be there as soon as it gets dark."

"I think she wants you to go with dad and Sirius when you guys take us out tonight, she doesn't think that they can handle us or something."

"Sounds like Lily. Be sure to tell her that I'll be there right on time," Remus said, winking. Harry waved goodbye and bounded back across the street. He knew his mother had just sent him across the street to get him out of the house for a few minutes; otherwise he would have joined in the ranks of Sirius, James, and Anna in another full-fledged chase. Since he wasn't involved in the first one earlier that day, he wasn't going to be in the second one. That's just what he figured anyway.

Harry walked up the dark wooden steps upstairs and to his room to get ready for the night. He'd just put on dark wizards robes and get his wand; then he'd be ready. His wand was something special to him, because he had been allowed to get it earlier than most wizards got theirs. Lily and James had let him go to Ollivander's for his first wand when he was just seven; Anna had to wait until this past year on her birthday when she turned nine. It wasn't like Harry knew how to do more than basic things with his wand, plus the essential charms necessary to operate a few practical jokes that Sirius had invented himself. Oh, and all those hexes that he and Ron and the twins had looked up in one of Charlie Weasley's books.

Stepping through the swinging door into the kitchen, Harry saw Anna sitting at the table in front of the large bay window and she looked furious about something. She had a scowl on her face and her arms were crossed across her chest. However, she was already in her robes and he could see her wand poking out.

"You might want to make sure your wand isn't showing tonight, you might lose it." Harry sat down across from her.

"Whatever," she replied, but just the same, she pushed the wand back under her robes so it wasn't visible.

"Anna," Lily's voice rang from outside on the deck, through the open window. "You can get up from the table now."

"Finally," Anna said, jumping up. She was clearly in a better mood now that she was able to move around instead of being stone still at the table. "I'm going outside to wait for Ginny," she announced, walking briskly out of the kitchen.

"And Robby!" Harry hollered down the hall, not forgetting what he promised Courtney earlier.

"Mum, Anna and I are out front waiting for everyone," Harry said through the screen in the window. She nodded to show that she heard him, but was too busy casting a charm to decorate the deck to say anything. Pumpkins, so big that Harry could fit in them sitting down, appeared in the back yard and smaller ones floated above the deck.

Out front, Harry found Ron and Ginny already waiting with Anna. Sirius, Remus, and James were in the garage tinkering around with something, judging from the flashes of light coming from that direction.

"Mum's already gone around back, and dad's gunna be here in a few, I think," Ron said. "We've got to wait for dad, I think, before we can leave."

A loud bang echoed around the hollow and an equally large flash came from the garage. They watched as Lily stalked over there and threw open the door. Less than a minute later, James, Sirius, and Remus all walked out of the garage; more like chased to put it precisely. Mr. Weasley walked up the street about the same time.

"Ready to get this night started?" James asked, grinning like a school-boy.

"We gotta wait for Court and; Rob," Harry said, looking up the street, hoping that they'd hurry up quickly. Soon, he could see Courtney and Robby running down the street and their parents were right behind them. Hestia went out back with Lily and Mrs. Weasley and Jonathan gave Sirius a high five as he joined the group of dads.

"Let's get this night started!" Sirius yelled, and waved goodbye to the ladies who were now on the front porch.

"Tonight sure is going to be interesting," Lily said to the other women with her. They nodded their agreement and went inside to finish preparing supper.