A/N: Well, I've decided to consolidate what I have up posted. I've combined the prologue along with Chapter One, and I've added a little bit to the end of the Chapter, which should make the starting point of Chapter Two less awkward. Hope you enjoy.

Prologue

"Harry? Time to wake up."

Up the stairs and to the left, there was a small room that contained a bed, a trunk, a cage with a snow-white owl and an immovable lump in the bed.

There was a long pause, in which there was no answer. "Oh, would you look at that, the post has arrived."

There was a muffled grunt, and the immovable lump twitched slightly.

"And one of the letters is from Downie Moor . . . "

The immovable lump rolled over with a slightly audible grunt, and blearily opened a pair of very green eyes. The eyes blinked once then closed, and the immovable lump was once more.

"And from your godfather . . . "

The emerald eyes opened once more, blinked twice this time, then closed again.

"And from Ginny," the voice finished, almost desperately.

The reaction from the eyes--and, indeed, the attached body--was rather startling. They shot open, startlingly clear and alert. The previously immovable lump jumped up, revealing a tall, seventeen-year-old boy. For all of his inertness mere seconds before, Harry Potter was surprisingly energetic, running from his small room, bounding down the stairs, and racing into the small room to the right of the stairs that served as the kitchen and breakfast nook. Here he was met by the proprietor of the tiny house in which he was staying--his former professor, Remus Lupin.

"Ah, good morning Harry," Remus said, rather cheerfully.

"Good morning," Harry answered somewhat curtly and put his hand out, obviously waiting for the aforementioned letter. Remus smiled quietly to himself. He'd learned rather quickly that the most efficient way of getting Harry up in the morning was to use the words "Ginny," or "Weasley"--most effective when the former just preceded the latter. Remus handed Harry's letters over to the younger man, then set about the task of preparing breakfast for the two of them, but not before setting a cup of coffee on the table. Yet another little tidbit he had learned while Harry lived with him--it took a combination of breakfast and coffee to have anything approaching a pleasant conversation with the younger man.

Remus' temporary houseguest plunked himself down at the table and opened one of his letters, gulping down the steaming liquid while reading. Harry read over the letter from Ginny first.

Dear Harry,

How are you doing? Well, I hope. Have you heard from the Academy yet? Ron just got his letter from the Cannons. He's not up yet, so he doesn't know about it. He had the tryouts last week, and he's been a nervous wreck ever since. Hermione even had to come early to distract him while he waited for the letter. I'll let him tell you all about it.

Do you know if you'll be coming by sometime this summer? Ron already asked Mum and Dad about it (they said yes), and I'd really like to see you before you start your training (I just know you'll get accepted to Downie Moor). Sorry this is so short, but I want to get this off to you this morning. Talk to you soon.

All my love,
Ginny.

Harry sighed slightly. He was having a great time staying with Remus, but he was anxious to see his friends again--particularly Ginny, whom he hadn't seen much before graduation, and whom he hadn't seen at all since they'd left the train just three weeks ago. He thought back to that day at the train station, and sighed wistfully. He would answer her letter after he read the other two.

He picked up the letter from his godfather, opened it, and read it.

Harry--

This is going to be a short one, since we think Wormtail might be preparing to flee the country. We're almost ready to take him in; we just need a little bit more on him. Keep your fingers crossed.

Have you got your owl from the Academy? I want to hear about it the moment you do. I'll try and get to Remus' to see you before you leave. I expect an owl from you soon.

Sirius.

P.S. Say hi to Remus for me.

Harry smiled slightly, wishing very much that Sirius, along with Professor Sinistra, Arabella Figg, and Mad-Eye Moody would be successful in capturing Wormtail. And soon. It would mean that Sirius could get his name cleared, and then maybe he would have a home after so many years of being without a place to call "home."

"Sirius says hi," he said to Remus as he put his godfather's letter aside and picked up the last letter he had received, from the Academy. "Said something about telling 'that big git to get his arse over here,'" he added, without looking up.

"Does he now?" Remus asked casually, amid the sounds of breakfast being prepared. "Well, if he'd rather have me there then looking after his godson, I'm sure it can be arranged."

Harry looked up at Remus and grinned. It had become something of a game that they played every time Harry received a letter from Sirius. Harry had started it after Remus had related to him that Sirius had virtually begged him to let Harry stay with him, so that Harry didn't have to return to the Dursleys.

Turning his attention back to his last letter, he regarded it with a little trepidation before he opened it.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Downie Moor Academy. Enclosed is a list of the items you require.

Basic training begins August 1. Please report to King's Cross Portkey Station, Platform 2 1/5 at 11.00 to take the port. We will see you then.

Sincerely,
Fergus Finlay,
Director and Chief Auror.

Harry's head snapped up to look at Remus, and he couldn't keep the smile from his face. "I got in," he said quietly, almost in awe.

Remus looked back at him, and Harry saw the biggest smile he'd ever seen on Remus' face. "That's wonderful Harry. When do you leave?"

"Ready to get rid of me, huh?" Harry joked, his voice full of excitement. "August first." He paused for a moment. "I'd better owl everyone and let them know. Sirius said he wanted to hear from me the minute I heard one way or the other. And I'm sure Ginny, Ron, and Hermione are going to want to know too." He jumped up and raced up the stairs to his tiny room, eager to let everyone know that he'd been accepted to start training as an Auror. He quickly grabbed his parchment, ink, and quill and raced back down to the breakfast nook, and began to write to everyone.

His notes to Sirius, Ron, and Hermione were dashed off, and basically said the same thing--that he'd been accepted--though in his note to Sirius, he mentioned that he wanted to go visit the Burrow before he left. Stopping briefly to ask permission, he raced to get Remus' owl Nusku, and quickly sent off his note to Sirius.

When answering Ginny's letter, however, he wrote a letter that was better thought out.

Dear Ginny,

I made it in! I'm doing great, by the way. How are you? I'm sure Ron will get on to the team. He was one of the best Keepers Gryffindor ever had.

Do you know when Hermione starts at the Ministry? I was so anxious to tell her the news that I forgot to ask.

I've asked Sirius about visiting the Burrow. He's going to try to visit me before I have to leave for training August 1st, so when I get his owl, I'll let you know.

Hey--you seemed pretty sure I'd get accepted to the Academy. You didn't Turn to the future, did you? Just kidding. I miss you very much. I hope I'll see you soon.

Love,
Harry.

When he completed the letter--momentarily interrupted by breakfast--he sent Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's letters with Hedwig.

It wasn't until later that day that he received replies to his letters. The one common denominator was that everyone was excited about his news. Sirius had managed to get a day off to come visit Harry--since the fear that Wormtail might flee had proved to be (so far) a false alarm. He would be coming by in a week, and then Harry would be heading to the Burrow for a week before he had to report to the Port station.

The letter he had received from Ron was very similar to the one Harry had sent-namely, it was brief. Ron had made the Chudley Cannons, and the excitement was very obvious in his letter. He did manage to mention that his parents had OK'd a visit from Harry, so it was all settled and Harry couldn't wait. In one week, his godfather would be visiting, and then he would leave to see his two best friends and his girlfriend--it still felt funny to think of Ginny that way--right before heading off for his basic training. And he couldn't be more excited.

***

Chapter One

In My Life

Normally, he tried to avoid waking early. Especially during the summer. But he was up particularly early this morning, because it was the day he was to go to the Burrow to visit the Weasleys and Hermione.

The sun shone brightly through the window of Harry's little room as he finished packing his things and making sure the room was in order. His movements were swift and spoke of barely contained excitement as he double-checked that he had everything packed.

Satisfied, he opened the door and quickly made his way downstairs and into the breakfast nook. Once there, he was greeted by Remus, who was in the process of making breakfast.

Both men were exceptionally chipper for the early hour--much of which had to do with the fact that Sirius had visited the day before. The three had spent the day joking, laughing, reminiscing, and eating--which had been an enormous relief, since they were all still haunted by the death of Dumbledore barely a month before. This was particularly true for Harry, who still felt somewhat responsible. He was beginning to overcome that though; Dumbledore's letter had helped tremendously, as had everyone's support, especially Ginny's.

Harry watched as Remus prepared breakfast, and could feel his mouth water in anticipation. He could hear the scraping of a whisk against a bowl--telling of the fluffy scrambled eggs to come--and the sizzle of bacon. It had come as quite a surprise to Harry that Remus was such an accomplished cook, and Harry couldn't remember--save perhaps for his few times at the Burrow--when he'd eaten so well.

Breakfast was served, and the two ate in a companionable silence-broken by the occasional request to pass the butter or the coffee. Soon they were finished and after lugging Harry's stuff down to the living room, they faced each other. Harry spoke first.

"Thank you for letting me stay here and everything."

Remus smiled at Harry. "I was glad to do it. It was a welcome change, to have some company."

Harry grinned back, but said nothing.

"Now send an owl when you get there. I know you'll be fine, but Sirius would have my head if I didn't make sure you were all right."

Both men chuckled at this.

"Alright, I will," Harry answered, unable to wipe the grin from his face. "Thanks again," he added, grabbing some floo powder.

"Anytime," Remus replied. "Good luck at the Academy. I'd like to hear from you every once in a while to see how you're doing."

Harry inclined his head in thanks, the threw his floo powder into the fire place, stepped into the fire, and yelled, "The Burrow!"

***

One wild ride through the floo network later, Harry found himself stumbling through the fire grate at the Burrow. He caught his balance and looked up to find Ron, Hermione, and Ginny standing in front of him, smiling.

"Hi Harry," Hermione said brightly, and ran over to him, giving him a hug. He hugged her back for a moment, then pulled away.

"Hey Hermione. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing great! I just started my job as assistant to Mr. Wallace--he's the Chair of the Committee of Experimental Charms--and right now he's having me work on a charm to--"

"OK Hermione, let the rest of us have a chance," Ron interrupted good-naturedly, his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her away from Harry slightly, and looked down at her, grinning. She huffed, but it was belied by the smile on her face as she looked back up at him. She stepped away from him and Harry a second later, and Ron turned his attention back to Harry, who'd been regarding them with an amused smirk.

"Hey Harry," Ron said, his grin still in place.

"Ron," Harry replied, also grinning. "And how has your summer been?"

Hermione harrumphed a little as the two of them chuckled.

"It's been great so far," Ron replied after they had stopped. "I've had practice everyday this week. You'll have to come with me once and meet the others."

Harry's grin turned decidedly more excited. "I'd like that." His eyes left Ron's face and focused on Ginny. She was standing a few feet behind Ron, and she was watching him with a small smile on her face. "Hey Ginny," he said quietly, matching her smile with one of his own.

She moved over to him and hugged him, which he returned enthusiastically. "I've missed you," she said to him, her voice a bit muffled because her face was buried in his shoulder.

"I've missed you too," he replied, trying to hold onto her as tightly as he could. He bent his head slightly and inhaled the shower-fresh fragrance of her hair. His eyes closed and he could feel the outside world disappear. Nothing existed except him and Ginny. He could stay this way forever--just holding her close and breathing in her scent, which reminded him of spring rain, with a hint of blooming roses.

A jarring sound--which he realized was an unnaturally loud throat clearing from Ron--startled him from his contentment. He reluctantly opened his eyes and pulled away from Ginny. By the look on her face, she was just as reluctant to pull away as he, but neither said anything.

Harry focused back on Ron--Harry thought he looked a little green--who said, rather loudly, "Come on. Let's go put your stuff in my room."

The two young men grabbed Harry's trunk and--after carefully setting Hedwig's cage on top of it--headed up the stairs to Ron's room. After what seemed like ages, they finally reached it and set Harry's trunk down, careful not to jostle Hedwig too much. Harry turned to go back down the stairs, but Ron stopped him.

"Er--Harry?"

Harry wheeled around and faced his best friend.

"Look, I've had some time to get, um, used to the fact that you and Ginny are . . . together . . . ." Ron looked as if he was having a lot of trouble trying to say what it was that he wanted to say. Harry just looked on with polite puzzlement. "And I don't . . . mind it, or anything," Ron added quickly, as if afraid Harry would be upset with what he'd said. "It's just that, she's my sister, and it's still weird to see you two . . . like that," he finished lamely. They looked at each other for a moment. Something was bothering Ron, but Harry had yet to figure out what exactly his friend was trying to say. "Anyway, if you could maybe . . . you know . . . not be so, um, affectionate, in front of me . . . " he trailed off.

It occurred to Harry what might be bothering Ron. "You don't want to see Gin and I be affectionate?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, well, just nothing . . . disturbing. Nothing overt, ok?"

Personally, Harry didn't go in for being "overt" in public--he'd seen enough to know that other people found it to be nauseating and distracting--but he felt the need to give Ron a hard time. "You mean like you and Hermione?" he asked innocently. Ron flushed a deep scarlet, and looked ready to protest, but Harry cut in. "Look, I know what you mean, and I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Ron shut his mouth and nodded. "OK," he said finally, relief obvious in his voice. "Let's go back downstairs."

And with that, the two boys left the room.

***

The rest of the day passed in a haze of pleasure under the warm summer sun. The four friends had water fights, picnics, lots of laughter, broom races, and long walks in the sultry summer evening.

It had been a carefree and spirited day, and yet there had been an odd undertone to it--almost frantic and desperate. There was an unspoken agreement among them that the past and the future did not exist--no yesterday or tomorrow to haunt them; they lived only for today.

Later that evening, as the four of them were heading back to the Burrow for dinner, Harry reflected on the day. He thought of all they had done--all the fun they had had--and snapshot-like images popped into his head.

There was Hermione, sneaking up on Ron with a bucket of water, ready to soak him.

There were the four of them, soaking wet, doubled over with laughter at each other's appearances.

There was Ginny smiling adorably at him as he tucked a daisy behind her ear.

There was Ron and he on their brooms, racing each other above the garden. Below, Ginny and Hermione were chatting animatedly, completely unimpressed by what was happening above them.

There was Hermione again, this time snuggled up with Ron-in their own little world--while next to them he and Ginny were lying side-by-side and pointing up to the sky, just watching the clouds.

Harry was snapped out of his reminiscence when the four of them reached the Burrow and the aroma of cooked food hit them full force. Harry could feel his stomach squirming, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the picnic hours earlier. By the looks on the others' faces, they were just as hungry as he was. They sped up a bit, and quickly went and got changed, meeting back down in the kitchen at the table, where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already sitting.

***

After they'd eaten to the point of bursting, Mr. Weasley excused himself to his shed, while Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione cleared up.

Looking back, it was a teasing comment that had started the whole thing.

Ron and Hermione had constantly teased Harry and Ginny throughout dinner--causing the latter two to blush furiously. Harry couldn't think of anything more mortifying, and it hadn't helped that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley seemed to find the situation amusing. He supposed he should have been relieved--at least they weren't upset--but he couldn't help but feel utter humiliation.

In retaliation, he managed to get Ron and Hermione volunteered to clear the table and help Mrs. Weasley with the dishes. Ron and Hermione had returned the favor. So now he and Ginny had to endure more torture. And the comments were only getting worse.

"So what are you two going to name the kids?" Harry decided that Ron had a death wish, and was contemplating all the various ways to help his best friend get his wish--in alphabetical order--when he heard Mrs. Weasley chuckle slightly.

"What is it Mum?" he heard Ginny ask. He was beginning to wonder if the crimson tinting her cheeks was permanent.

Mrs. Weasley just shook her head, an almost wistful smile on her face. "Oh, nothing really. I was just reminded of when I started dating your father. I had to endure my fair share of teasing too."

Ginny seemed to freeze for a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Harry to notice. A quick glance around and he deduced that he was the only one who had. "Oh? Why is that?" Her question was almost too nonchalant, and Harry was very sure something was up. No one else seemed to notice though.

Mrs. Weasley--who had been drying a dish--flicked her wrist to send it to the cabinet, then assumed a sort of wistful gaze, a small smile on her face. "Oh, we were teased constantly in school, especially at first."

Harry's interest was piqued. "Why?"

She smiled at him fondly. "I think most everyone was surprised. And maybe a little jealous." Harry gaped a little at the impish smile that played at the corners of her mouth.

Hermione seemed just as surprised and interested as Harry was. "Why were they surprised?" Ron shot her a look that Harry interpreted as "please don't get her started," but Hermione glared at him and then turned her attention back to Mrs. Weasley, who looked pleasantly surprised in the interest in her story.

"Well, Arthur was a year ahead of me, and even though we were in the same house, we didn't socialize with the same people. He associated mostly with the Quidditch team and the other Gryffindors his year; I associated with the other Gryffindors--and a few of the Ravenclaws--in my year.

Harry turned to Ginny, stunned. "Your dad played Quidditch?"

She nodded solemnly. "He was a Chaser."

Mrs. Weasley's smile grew wider. "He was one of the best Chasers Gryffindor ever had. I remember watching him play in my fourth year, against Slytherin. He made some spectacular goals in that game, and I developed quite a crush on him." Her cheeks were a touch rosy, but her eyes twinkled.

"When did you finally start dating?" Hermione was watching Mrs. Weasley, and therefore missed the gagging motion that Ron was sending Harry. Mrs. Weasley laughed quietly.

"Not until the beginning of my sixth year. We became friends during my fifth year when he tutored me in Muggle Studies. He was the best student in his class, and I needed all the help I could get." She made a face while looking out the window towards Mr. Weasley's shed, and sighed. "I still don't get it."

Suddenly, a sly smile spread across her face. "Then, at the beginning of my sixth year, I noticed that he seemed to blush and stutter a great deal more then he used to. About a month after term began, he'd decided he was going to ask me to go out on a date with him." Her eyes went slightly out of focus, as though she was watching a memory. Her eyes abruptly came back into focus, and twinkled with remembered amusement. "He'd planned this really nice nighttime picnic at the lake. That night was such a disaster! We'd just gotten out there and set all the food out when the skies literally opened up. We were soaked to the bone, and the food was ruined. I'll never forget the way he looked when we got back to the castle. He looked so upset and forlorn, and my heart went out to him, so I told him how much I liked him. That's when we started going steady, though we didn't go out on a proper date for another week. Poor dear caught pneumonia in the rain." She shook her head, but her eyes were still twinkling with mirth.

"Wow," Hermione breathed. "And then you lived happily ever after, right?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "For the most part." Harry thought he saw Ginny almost drop something, but a second later he was sure he'd imagined it. He turned his attention back to Mrs. Weasley, who was looking around the small, homey kitchen, and nodding with approval. She turned her attention back to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "All right, we're done in here. You four can leave."

With compliments and thanks for the wonderful dinner, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny exited the kitchen and headed for Ron's room. To Harry, Ginny had been very quiet in the kitchen, and he was going to keep his eyes open for an opportunity to ask her about it.

He got his opportunity the next evening. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were to have dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Clearwater, and Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were left to find for themselves. Unsurprisingly, Ron and Hermione disappeared quicker than one could say "quality time." This didn't particularly bother Harry, however. In fact, it gave him the opportunity to suggest something he'd been hoping to accomplish for the last month. That was, namely, a picnic. He really couldn't say why he was so eager, but it probably had a lot to do with the fact that he had never been on a proper picnic before. And besides, it was such a nice night out that they might as well take advantage of it. He hesitated to use the word "romantic"--mainly because he was still coming to terms with that poetic side of him.

In any case, he mentioned it to Ginny--who, coincidentally, hadn't hesitated at all to use the word "romantic," and even went so far as to use other, similar words such as "thoughtful" and "sensitive." They agreed to have the picnic on the edge of the woods that skirted the field behind the Burrow. By the time they had laid the blanket out and had settled down upon it, the sun had sunk below the horizon in a dazzling array of yellows, oranges and pinks that gave way to blues and violets in the east. The two went about laying out the food--meat pies, jacket potatoes with butter, and strawberries and cream--in companionable silence. The silence was only broken by the clatters of crockery and silverware coming into contact with one another, and the sounds of the insects and frogs that inhabited the forest at dusk.

They settled themselves and began munching on the food, talking about their summers and their futures. Harry saw his opportunity and seized it.

"Speaking of time, Gin, just where did you go when you turned at the end of last term?"

Ginny swallowed the food in her mouth and regarded Harry a bit before answering. "Oh, I did promise to tell you, didn't I?"

Harry grinned at her. "Yes, you did."

She grinned back and heaved an exaggerated sigh. "Well, all right. But it is a rather interesting story . . . ."