July 31st, 1997

Romania

It wasn't the first time Ginny had sat on her broom in the middle of the clouds to watch the dragons fly in the distance. In fact, it happened to be her favorite thing from Romania. When Charlie showed it to her after her first year, she was terrified that the dragons would find her and try to eat her, but it never happened. They didn't like the trees, only the clear open skies. The fact that around here the dragons didn't need to search for their own food was also a gentle reminder that Ginny was safe. She turned her head again as she heard another dragon call out in the sky, this one a baby, searching for its mother. She let herself smile for a moment before checking her watch and coming down to help Charlie with his daily tasks. After much arguing between the two, Ginny was given small tasks around where Charlie worked to keep her busy. In return, she got a few coins and access to the sky.

She dismounted her broom and set it off the side of the doorway. The small apartment she shared with Charlie was in the middle of nowhere, a village where only a select few lived. After all, what muggle would stumble upon Most of the workers flooed into the village to work. She changed out her good riding boots for some mud covered ones and headed over into the village. Charlie was already into his daily routine, as he started early. Today was Ginny's last day, and they would be leaving for home later to help with the wedding.

Ginny grabbed a bucket for the raw meat. She was in charge of a baby dragon that's mother left him. It wasn't a hard job, but most of the handlers didn't have the patients to feed it. When she turned around again, she saw someone watching her. The same person who had been watching her the past week. A boy a few years older than her with his long hair pulled back, like Charlie's. She smiled back at him and went to leave for the stalls.

"Wait," he called out in a thick accent. Ginny stopped in her tracks, her hair that had grown out in a braid fell behind her. "You're Ginny, right? Charlie Weasley's sister?"

"What's it to you?" She asked, walking to the dragon stall and opening it.

"I just- you're very beautiful," He said, his Russian accent thick.

"And that gives me value?" She said dropping the meat to the ground and sitting on her stool.

"No, I mean," He said, "I mean, you're visiting your brother. Maybe you'd like to come into the city with me for a night."

"Thank you for the offer, but I leave for home today," Ginny said as the baby dragon came up to her, letting her pet it's head.

"Well, maybe I can write to you?" He said with a smirk.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Ginny said with a smile.

"Oh. I guess someone like you already has a boyfriend."

"Someone like me?" Ginny said, feeding the small dragon. "Not that it's your business, but I'm not currently dating anyone."

"Right," he said, slowly stepping out of the stall, running into a chest. He turned around to see Charlie, giving him a smile he reserved for the dragons that caused trouble, and apparently people that were alone with his little sister. He gave Charlie a nod and then proceeded to rush out of the stall.

"Ready to go home?" Charlie asked.

"Can I just skip school and stay here?" Ginny asked, feeding the last of the meat to the dragon.

"Nope. Having two Hogwarts dropouts is enough," Charlie said picking up the bucket. "Everything's ready. Portkey leaves in an hour."

Ginny nodded glumly. "What if everyone still hates me? Well, if everyone hates each other?"

"What did Minnie say about that?" Charlie said with a sigh.

Ginny took a deep breath. "I'm not in charge of other people's opinions of me. I'm in charge of my own happiness and thoughts. I can build other people up without sacrificing my own happiness. I'm not what happened to me and I won't let it define me. I know my worth and it won't be found in others. I love myself."

Charlie stopped for a minute and looked at Ginny, who for the first time since the end of her first year, finally looked at peace with herself.

"I'll be ok," Ginny said with a genuine smile. "I'm not there yet, but I'm happy. One day at a time."

Charlie pulled her into a big hug, squeezing her. "Let's go home."

Potter Manner

"Harry, can I speak with you?" Remus asked, finding Harry where he usually did when they weren't at Grimmauld Place.

"Sure," Harry said, standing up from Sirius' bedside.

"No, no," Remus shook his head, motioning for Harry to sit back down. "He'd want to know that he was here for this, in some way."

"Oh?" Harry sat down hesitantly.

"Well, Harry, you're seventeen today," Remus said, scrubbing his face tiredly.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Harry agreed. "And it doesn't look like Sirius will be here to go to Knockturn Alley with me. You know, take me to that hooker he's always talking about. Or to remind me not to use magic to zip up my pants."

"Yeah," Remus laughed, "Sirius learned that lesson the hard way."

There was an awkward pause as Remus built himself up.

"Was there something else, Moony?" Harry asked, unsure of the tension in the air.

"Yes, there was. I'm just not sure of how to do this alone." Remus sat heavily next to Harry. "We've always had this plan. First, it was Prongs, Pads, and me. Then, after Halloween, it was the two of us. For some reason, we never considered that it would ever just be one."

"One doing what?" Harry asked, glancing at Remus out of the corner of his eyes.

"Giving you this." Remus handed him a box. "There was supposed to be a production, of course. Nothing Prongs or Pads did ever came without a production. There were supposed to be pancakes and bacon and presents. This was supposed to happen in front of your family, with all your friends. Now it's just the three of us."

"Remus, what is this?" Harry asked, pulling a watch out of the box.

"It's Prongs' watch. You're seventeen. A man, in the eyes of the Ministry. You've been acting like an adult for much longer. This is just tradition." Remus' eyes were misty as he talked.

"It's Dad's?" Harry asked, voice thick with emotion.

"Yeah, it's your dad's," Remus confirmed, laughing softly.

"Why are you giving me Dad's watch?" Harry asked, staring at the golden watch in his hands in awe. "Don't you two want it?"

"Harry, we have many things of your dad's, including his son. You can have his watch. It's a wizarding tradition, to give your son a watch on his seventeenth birthday and welcome him into adulthood. Prongs wanted you to have this. We talked about it many times before he passed. It's yours."

"It's beautiful," Harry said, running his finger over the filigree.

"Prongs said the same when he got it." Remus smiled.

"He did?" Harry asked in a watery voice.

"Yeah," Remus replied in a similarly watery voice.

"Cool," Harry nodded, trying not to cry. "I'm glad it's like this. Alone, I mean. I don't think I'd want a huge production over it."

"I told Sirius it might not be for the best. But he likes to put things together. Reminds him of the pranks." Remus said quietly.

"I'm sure." Harry rolled his eyes. After a few moments of silence, he added, "Remus, you know I love you, right? I appreciate you raising me. Thanks."

"I know, kid," Remus said, suddenly uncomfortable. "I love you, too."

Harry leaned against Remus, willing to let the moment pass. He continued to enjoy the silence and play with his new watch, grateful to have a family.

Things in the Wizarding World were, to put into one word: bleak. The Daily Prophet wasn't reporting the murders the Order was tracking, half-bloods and muggleborns were disappearing, there were hushed whispers at the Ministry of Magic and the movement of creatures in the dark. Werewolves were biting more, dementors were leaving their posts at Azkaban, and the trolls were encroaching on Muggle communities in the country. In another room, the rest of the order was gathering. Waiting for the rest of the members of the Order to make their way back after the summer of spying, and staying under the radar. That is when the Portkey opened up in the middle of Potter Manor, dropping Ginny and Charlie Weasley back into the chaos of Britain.

"Ginny!" Hermione screamed, running up to the redhead and hugging her.

"That's quite a homecoming," Ginny said hesitantly.

"I've been living with three of your brothers. I desperately need girl time. I have no idea how you tolerated all of them at once," Hermione explained, leading her to the Burrow. "You got some sun!"

"Well, Bill and Charlie were gone to Hogwarts or their jobs for most of my life, so they're more like cool uncles than brothers. And Percy rarely stuck his nose out of his room, too afraid of the twins. So, really, it was just the three you live with." Ginny said with a shrug. "You're also sleeping with one of them, but I'd rather not think about that."

"Ginny!" Marley yelled from the doorway. "You're back!" She said, running up and wrapping her into her arms.

"Yes! My goodness, you grew," Ginny said inspecting Marley.

"Yeah, I'm going to have fun ruffing people up this year," Neville said with a smirk.

"Oh, get over it," Marley said grabbing Ginny's hand. "I'm not allowed in the meeting."

"That's for the best," Hermione said. "You're still young."

"I'm going to be the fourth year," Marley said. "I can help."

"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked, trying to change the subject. "When's the meeting start?"

"He's with Remus and Sirius," Hermione said. "They need to get into the meeting."

"I'll go grab them. The master bedroom?" Ginny said as she walked out of the room, down the hall to the Master bedroom, where the door was opened. She knocked lightly on the door. Remus and Harry pulled apart and looked at her.

"The meeting is about to start. I can stay here with Sirius." Ginny said.

"No, you need to know what is going to happen. I'll go grab Hestia," Remus said standing up. "You two go ahead."

Harry nodded, stood up, and walked out of the room following Ginny until she stopped in the middle of the hall. "I don't know where the meeting is." She said quietly. "You should lead. Happy birthday, by the way. I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

"You talking to me again is a good present," Harry smiled.

"Yeah," Ginny blushed. "I think I have a lot of talking and apologizing to do."

Harry nodded, took a step towards her, putting his hands on either side of her on the wall before leaning down and capturing her lips with his. "That's a good birthday present too."

Ginny opened her mouth to say something as Harry leaned down to kiss her again when someone cleared their throat. Both of them looked at Hestia, who was holding back whatever comment she had on her tongue. "The meeting is in the kitchen. They're all waiting on you." Hestia said.

"Right, the kitchen," Ginny said, ducking out of Harry's arms and walking down the hall. Harry and Hestia shared a look before he followed Ginny and walked into the kitchen.

"'Bout time," Moody said with a huff. "Alright. Let's get this plan set in place." He said pointing his wand towards the table, causing round circles with all of their faces to the center. "The plan."

Lovegood Cottage

"What are you saying, Draco?" Luna asked, more for clarification than a lack of understanding. She wanted to make sure she got everything.

"If your father doesn't stop printing the things he's printing, if he doesn't stop taking a stance against the Ministry, and by extension Voldemort, then they'll kidnap you. I'll have to kidnap you," Draco sat, defeated, head bowed and hands clasped. "I have to kidnap you."

"Why you, specifically? Does he know?" Luna asked, worried about the most obvious use of this ploy.

"No, it's nothing like that. We're just in school together, and I'm the leader of the junior death eaters." Draco looked up at her, eyes begging her to understand.

Luna nodded thoughtfully, turning to pace the room. She left Draco in silence for quite some time before he finally asked, "Please, Lu, tell me what you're thinking."

Luna stared a spot just to his left before she said, "I'm thinking… we need some tea."

"Tea? Really? Is that what you're concerned about?" Draco growled, following Luna into the kitchen. "I've told you you'll be kidnapped and you're worried about tea time?"

"Don't be daft, Draco Malfoy," Luna turned on him, sticking her wand under his nose. "Of course I'll be kidnapped this year. My father, despite the threat, won't compromise his values, and we both know that. We need a plan for when you have to kidnap me."

"I don't like this," Draco bit out, grabbing her chin roughly. "You're my girlfriend, I get to protect you."

Luna soothed her hands up and down his arms. "We're in a war. Protection now is not what it would be in normal situations. Figuring out a plan for safety will keep me safe."

Draco growled lowly for a second before grabbing her and pulling her in for a deep kiss. When they broke apart, Draco said, "I want it on record that I do not like this. I don't like this one bit. But, you're right, we need to plan."

"I'm what?" Luna asked playfully. "I'm…"

"Right," Draco huffed, hugging her close. "You're right."

"Did those words taste like acid?" Luna giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yes. Never make me say them again," Draco growled, but this time it was because he knew Luna liked his 'growly voice.'

"So, what's our plan?" Luna asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"Well, it will help that the Carrows, sadistic bastards, are taking over the school, under Severus' rule. I'm, essentially, in charge of controlling Crabbe, Goyle, and the other 'junior death eaters.' If they screw up or take things too far, I have to 'correct' them in front of the other death eaters," Draco explained, leading Luna back to her living room.

"But… I thought you had his favor?" Luna asked, taking a seat next to him on the settee.

"That's the thing, I do have his favor. He thinks it's an honor to punish wrong-doers." Draco huffed and rolled his eyes, throwing himself backwards dramatically.

"Your mother would kill you if she thought you were slouching," Luna said primly. "Now, sit up and let's figure out how you're going to get me out of Hogwarts without one of your friends trying to help. I will not tolerate Crabbe's hands on my person. Especially since he likes them unwilling."

"I do not want to know how or why you know that," Draco bit out.

"You don't need to know," Luna waved him off. "What you do need to know is that once this starts to play out, I will never hold anything you have to do against you."

"I know. You keep telling me that," Draco said, pulling her into his side and reclining back. "Now, let me just sit here with you. I have to leave for Father's mansion soon, and I want to spend some time with you, without worrying about the future."

Kat: So… Are we going to stick to Harry Potter or bring our NHL beef into our silly notes here? *cough* Go Blues! *cough*

Gabs: Unlike you, I can be professional. It's what happens when you root for a team with a history of program success.

Kat: The Golden Knights are drama queens. I'd also like to point out who won the Stanley Cup last?

Gabs: Took 50 years. But you did it! Yay!

Kat: Anyway, here we are! Another chapter! Yay!

Gabs: We own nothing. Please review.

XOXO

Gabs & Kat