Chapter 3.

Harry got up the Friday morning before he was to go to the burrow at 5am and groaned loudly at the complaints his muscles were making. Dudley, ever since he had agreed to start training with him had been a relentless taskmaster. They ran 3 miles every day and once that was done, went home to have breakfast. Dudley ten took Harry to the gym to work out and introduced Harry to weight training. Harry could barely move the first morning after his introduction and his body felt like it was screaming at him every time he moved even slightly. Dudley just laughed good naturedly and explained that he had built up some extra residue in his muscle cells that Mum and dad would probably have puppies if they knew we were enjoying this in any way, that's why I told them I needed you to come with me as a sparring partner. I just hope you take what we have done and expand on it more and definitely learn some kind of fighting skills with hand to hand combat and even muggle weaponry."

Harry thought about what Dudley just said and he had to admit to himself, as he had to Ginny in a few of his letters, while the workouts were definitely hard on him physically, he could tell a definite change in himself, especially with the weight training. Before he had been well toned and somewhat wiry as his quidditch training was demanding on his body thus he wasn't as much as most wizards generally are, but with the added in eight training, plus the extra nutritious food that Dudley had pushed onto his plate, explaining to his parents as he did so, that he needed Harry as physically fit and healthy as possible if he was to help Dudley in any way with his boxing. He found his chest was now more defined and definitely a lot harder then at the start of summer and his arms had grown somewhat, with his muscles now well defined and he sported a well defined six pack. His legs, while still a little skinny, were corded with muscle, which did him well for quick movement and running. Dudley had warned him about not training his legs too much with weights, but to concentrate more on the running for leg exercise, otherwise he would slow down more than anything due to the increase in muscle bulk. He then thought while they ran on what Dudley said about learning a muggle fighting technique both hand to hand and with weapons. He turned his head to Dudley, lightly perspiring now as they had increased the pace of their run and asked

"Do you have any suggestions as to what sort of discipline you think I should learn? I know you're fairly well versed in these sorts of things, where I have no bloody idea what I would choose."

Dudley smiled and after a moment of contemplation, said

"I studied all of the different martial arts before I decided on boxing because of my size; it was the most logical sport for me to actually take on. When I thought of your situation though Harry, I did a little more reading into the different forms. While they are all quite good in self defense, what you are after is really an offensive sort of technique. As soon as you see death eaters you want to be able to immobilize them straight away, either with magic or with any other way you can. You don't want them casting spells at you for you then to go into your defensive mode. There is only one discipline I have found that has these particular attributes. That is ninjitsu. What it basically is, is a form which has adapted from all of the other forms of combat, taking all of the most deadly and harmful movements of all of the disciplines and combining them together in such a way to be able to disable an opponent as soon as possible. While it sounds harsh, you are at war Harry and this is the best thing for you to learn I think."

Harry kept running silently, slowly processing everything that Dudley had said and thought about the ninja he had seen on the telly from time to time when he had managed to watch a movie on it. They always seemed to be these mysterious beings with almost mystical powers to be able to almost appear and disappear at will and also defeat an enemy with quick and deadly efficiency. Harry thought Dudley had come up with the perfect solution, but Harry only saw one problem.

"Dudley, there is only one problem with all of this. How am I going to be trained in this when I have no idea of anyone who teaches this, let alone anyone who could teach me this while I am at Hogwarts?"

Dudley smiled amusedly at his cousin for a moment and then asked

"You told me about that defense club you organized last school year because you weren't being taught properly, right?"

Harry nodded, agreeing silently and urged Dudley to continue.

"You also told me about the room of requirement that would become whatever you wanted it to become, correct?"

Harry nodded, again, still not quite fully understanding, but having a glimmer of what Dudley was talking about.

"Well Harry," Dudley said, slowing as they finished off their run, "All you need to do is ask the room to provide you with a room and instructor to teach you to master ninjitsu. You may also want to ask it to somehow slow time for you wile you are in the room so you can learn it quite quickly, at least try and see if it's possible. If so, there is your solution."

Harry was stunned. He never would have thought of anything like this. Dudley he knew did have a brain and had proved it quite clearly over the last week, but Harry now knew that Dudley when he really put his mind to it could be brilliant. He turned to Dudley and took his cousin's hand in his and said seriously

"Thanks Dudley had to be gotten rid of if he wanted to feel better soon and the best way to do that was the hair of the dog that bit him, i.e. work out some more. Harry groaned at this pronouncement, but did feel somewhat better after his much lighter workout.

He met Dudley outside and they began jogging to warm up their muscles and chatted for a couple of minutes. Dudley said looking at Harry

"You know I have really enjoyed this time we have spent together, Harry. It has really shown what type of person you are.

. I really appreciate all the help you've given me and for the suggestion. I'll try it as soon as I get to Hogwarts."

Dudley grinned, shaking Harry's hand and said

"Just do me a favor and kick that guy's ass for me. He sounds like a real nuttier and I know that once he's finished with the wizards, we don't have a chance. Mum and dad may be too stupid to realize this, but I'm not."

Harry sat in his room later that night, sitting on his trunk, which was fully packed, with Hedwig's empty cage sitting on the floor next to it. He had sent Hedwig to Ginny as soon as he had received Dumbledore's message to be ready at 11:30 pm tonight. Harry was absorbed in reading a book he had bought by owl order from Flourish and Botts on occlumency while he waited. He had learnt more over these past couple of weeks about the discipline, than he had in months of training with Snape. He had already mastered the meditation technique to use at night to clear his mind and had already constructed his initial barrier to repel attacks. He was now in the process of organizing his thoughts into different categories to be protected according to their importance to him as well as a potential enemy. He was distracted from his reading by the popping apparition of Albus Dumbledore appearing in his room.

"Good evening Harry." The headmaster greeted him genially. Harry stood and extending his hand, said

"Hello Professor. Before anything else is said, I want to apologize to you for losing my temper in your office that night. I had no right to do what I did and I regret it immensely. I hope we can continue our relationship as well as before?"

Dumbledore seemed to brighten significantly at this and he smiled, saying

"Harry, you had no need to apologize, but I do appreciate it nonetheless. I also owe you apologies as well. I hid things from you, to protect you, I thought, only for my intentions to blow up in my face. I think you have discovered that I am only human and do make mistakes. I too hope we can continue in the way we have previously and can build on it as I think I need to take a personal interest in our education this year."

Harry smiled at this, nodding his agreement and picked up Hedwig's cage and his trunk's handle in the other, said

"/Sounds good to me sir. Shall we go?"

Dumbledore smiled at the anticipation in the boy's eyes, He had known of Harry's and Ginny's burgeoning relationship from the moment she had firecalled him about Harry coming over. He took hold of Harry's arm firmly and with a small pop, they disappeared from Harry's room appearing in the next instant near the back door of the burrow.

Harry smiled as he saw his second home and walked quickly inside, followed by Dumbledore. Molly Weasley was at the stove as usual, making what looked to be pumpkin soup. She turned as Harry entered and rushed over to him and caught him in a rib cracking hug.

"Harry dear it is so good to see you!" She exclaimed, surprised since as far as she knew, Harry was supposed to come tomorrow. Harry just smiled at Mrs. Weasley and replied that it was good to see her too. He set his trunk carefully against the wall with Hedwig's cage on top and with a flick of his wand; Dumbledore sent it all up to Fred and George's old room, where Harry was now to stay.

As Mrs. Weasley's words carried upstairs, Harry could hear the light footfalls of someone who he dearly wanted to see and a door slamming followed by that certain someone descending the stairs at almost a run. Harry grinned and braced himself as not a moment later Ginny came flying into the room and he caught her in his arms, hugging her tightly to him.

"Harry!" She squealed delightedly. "You weren't supposed to be coming until tomorrow!" Ginny really didn't seem to mind though as her own arms were wrapped about Harry's neck and she didn't seem to want to let go anytime soon. Harry looked deeply into those brown eyes he had thought so much about since the end of their train trip at the end of June. He found himself lost in them and knew without a doubt that he had fallen, fallen hard for her. He leaned his head forward and Ginny leaned forward too, her eyes slowly closing and her lips parting slightly. Their lips met softly in the gentlest of kisses. They both felt the jolt of electricity at the touch and they were both soon kissing passionately, completely unaware of where they were and who was in the same room as they were. They had waited for this moment for weeks and nothing was going to stop them for now.

The need for oxygen soon brought them back to reality and they broke contact, but still held each other, smiling, looking deeply into each other's eyes. Molly was startled by what had just happened, but her heart also filled with happiness at the sight. She knew for the longest time that her daughter had had a crush on the great Harry Potter, but once she got to know the real Harry, especially when he saved her from the basilisk in her first year, he became so much more. Even though she had protested to Hermione and her mother that she was over Harry, her mother knew better and here was her proof. She knew they had been communicating ever since the end of school and from the excitement that

Ginny displayed when she told her mother of the news of when Harry would be coming, she knew her daughter was in love. She was more shocked by Harry's reaction though. She expected him to be suffering from guilt and depression about Sirius and to be malnourished as usual. Here Harry was though, rippling with newly grown muscle with a large smile plastered over his face. She did not doubt for a moment that it was due to her daughter that this change in attitude had occurred.

Professor Dumbledore was not shocked in the least by the public display in affection that had just happened. His eyes were twinkling madly as he saw the signs of burgeoning love between the couple. He was Happy that Harry had found someone he could trust enough to let into his heart and he was happy for Miss Weasley for the obvious reason that she had loved Harry ever since he had rescued her in his second year.

The couple, completely oblivious to the other two people in the room, slowly turned and headed into the lounge room and settled into the lounge, cuddled up together, not losing eye contact with the other the entire time, their voices murmuring softly, their lips meeting every few seconds or so, looking as if they were trying to make up for lost time. Both of them radiated such pure happiness that Molly could no begrudge them anything, let alone this public display.

She turned to look at Dumbledore and he smiled, shaking his head to say to leave them be. She smiled and nodded, extinguishing the flame from under the soup. She then turned to Dumbledore and said

"Thank you for bringing Harry back to us and especially Ginny. I've never seen her so happy all summer until now. I gather we'll see you in a few days?"

Dumbledore nodded his acceptance of the thanks and replied

"Yes Molly, I'll be visiting in a few days to check on Harry and discuss a few things with him as well as the rest of your family. But for now I'm going to go to bed." With these words, he bade Molly goodnight and popped out of sight. Molly peered into the lounge room and saw that the new couple had not moved since they had come in. They were still murmuring quietly to each other and kissing softly. She thought she heard them both say they missed each other and that they loved each other, but couldn't fully make it out. Deciding to trust in Dumbledore, she left them to their devices, trusting in both of their self controls to not let them go too much further that night. She walked upstairs and into her room, leaving the couple to marvel in each other and what they had finally found.