Harry stood in a clearing, a long wooden sword in his hand, slowly going through the forms he had learned this morning. Ron had lost most of his enthusiasm for learning the sword when Harry’s fencing master, Giardi, had informed them this morning that they would not actually be learning to fight with their swords, or indeed even be allowed to pretend to fight with them, until several more weeks had passed. They had to learn discipline first. Harry had a feeling that Ron wouldn’t be joining their morning sessions very much. Ginny, on the other hand, was thrilled to. She liked the idea that this was an ability that depended more on skill and discipline than strength. Ginny’s enthusiasm was what led to Harry standing in the middle of the forest to practice forms. Harry was going to have to work very hard if he was going to keep up with her.

“Thought you’d practice without me, Potter?”

“Hey Gin,” he said, turning to meet her. “I have to practice if I’m going to keep up with you.”

“That’s right, Potter, and don’t you forget it.” She bugged her nails against her shirt as she smirked at him. “If you wanted to take a break from that, Sirius says he would work with us on our transformations for a bit.”

Harry needed no more encouragement. He quickly turned back towards the house, grabbing Ginny’s hand to pull her along with him. “Maybe we’ll even be able to get it before Ron!” Ginny laughed with him as the two children hurried towards the house.

“Just imagine the look on his face when we can transform before he does. Even better, imagine the look on the twins faces when they learn that we are animagi. It is going to be fantastic.”

“You are assuming that you’ll be able to get it as quickly as I will, Potter. Rather presumptuous of you, don’t you think?”

“Not at all. It’s in my blood.”

“I suppose.”

“Alright, kids. You need to concentrate all of your thought upon your form. See as many details as you can remember in your mind.” Sirius watched the two children in front of him as they screwed up their eyes in concentration. It gave him a healthy glow of pride to watch his godson try so hard at this task. Harry was trying so hard to follow in his father’s footsteps. He really was so much like James. And yet, at the same time, Harry is more serious than James ever was, at least during school. Harry knew what evil he would have to face in the world, and he did not shy away from it. Indeed, he worked most of the day to learn all he could and prepare as much as he was able. James never would have been capable of that. Sirius only hoped it would be enough.

“Are you ready?” The two children nodded, eyes still closed. “Good. Then what you are going to try to do is get your hand, just one hand, to change into the hand of your animal.”

“Um, how?” Ginny asked quietly, one eye peeping open to look at him.

“You have to try to reach for your magic, without the aid of a wand. Act as if you were going to cast a spell. Harry, it might help if you try to feel for the same magic that you use in transfiguration. You have to try and push all your magic down in to your hand and force it out in the shape of your new hand.” Sirius watched as the two children struggled in front of him. He knew it was difficult for them. It had taken him and James over two years to master this transformation. But then again, they had no coach besides themselves. He was hoping that Harry and Ginny, at least, might be able to transform in less time than that. They were both extremely talented and had a great deal of determination. He watched them for many long minutes struggle with their magic.

“This is so frustrating!” Ginny erupted, her eyes snapping open to look at him.

“Yes, I know it is. It will take some time for you to see any progress.”

“But we’ve been at it for weeks already!” As Ginny exclaimed, her anger rose in her large brown eyes.

“Gin!” Harry turned to look at her, opening his own eyes for the first time. “We’ll make it work. We’ll get it.”

“But it’s taking too long!”

“I know, but we can do this.” Harry’s voice took on a strong determined tone. “We will do this.”

As Harry looked at her, his hand laying over hers in an attempt to comfort her, his eyes flashed with unwavering determination to make this work. Harry was not looking at his own hand, but watching Ginny carefully. Thus it was that he was a little confused when Sirius exclaimed, “What the… Harry, your hand!” Harry quickly pulled his hand back and only barely caught a glimpse of black scales and a long nail.

“Sirius! I did it! Did you see?”

“Yes, kid. You were able to transform one of your fingers into that of the dragon. Very good. Try and see if you can do it again.”

Harry nodded and screwed up his concentration once more. But in the next hour, Harry was unable to once more transform any part of his hand. But this did not dampen his spirit any. Even so much of a transformation was encouraging.

There was only two weeks left in the summer and Harry was starting to lose some of his determination. He had thought that once he was able to transform some piece of himself, the rest would be easier. This hadn’t been the case. He hadn’t even been able to replicate the transformation from several weeks ago.

“You’re trying too hard, kid. It won’t work if you are frustrated.”

“But this is just so annoying! How come I could change something that once and haven’t been able to since?”

“I’m not really sure. But it is nothing to get upset about. It took your dad and me years to get the transformation to work, and we were older than you. You’ll get it eventually; you just have to keep trying and not let it get to you.”

Sirius had once again spent the afternoon working with Harry on his animagus transformation. And since that one day he had managed to change a finger, he hadn’t been able to make any visible progress. And the summer was almost over. He wouldn’t have nearly as much time to work on it during the school year, not to mention trying to do it without Sirius’ help.

“How come this is so hard?”

“You can’t expect everything to be easy. Anything worth accomplishing takes a lot of hard work. You haven’t complained about all the hard work you’ve put in to your fencing class.”

“Yeah, but at least I’m getting better at it. Unlike this.”

“That’s a matter of opinion, kid. Doesn’t Ginny beat you every time you spar?”

“I can’t help it that she’s wicked fast.” Harry rolled his eyes at his laughing godfather.

“Yeah, but what does it say about you, mister hero of the wizarding world, that you let a girl beat you?”

“Ginny’s more than just a girl, and I don’t care that she beats me.”

Sirius just smirked at him in amusement. The kid had no idea how he felt about the youngest Weasley, and it didn’t seem like he would be figuring it out any time soon. But that was alright. Sirius wasn’t quite ready for him to be all grown up yet. Harry deserved as much of a childhood as Sirius could give him. He owed it to Lily and James.

“Come on, kid. Try one more time.”

Hey Harry! You’ll never guess what happened today!

Then you’d better tell me.

Well, you know we went to Diagon Alley to pick up our school supplies. Mum and I spent most of the day getting my things, as I had the most to buy. Everything was normal and we were almost done, just had my books left, when Mum pulled me down the street into Ollivander’s! I have my own wand!

Well of course you do. How else are you going to do magic?

No, Harry, you don’t understand. Mum had already told me that she had Grandmum Prewett’s wand already for me. I wasn’t expecting to get a brand new one.

That is pretty cool! What kind did you get?

Hazel and gryphon heartstring.

Gryphon heartstring? I didn’t know Ollivander used that.

He doesn’t. He said it came from one of his friends.

That’s fantastic, Gin. Magic always works better with your own wand. Do you think it has anything to do with your animagus form?

I think so. Ollivander seemed quite surprised that a gryphon wand chose me. He said something about them being very rare wand cores and not choosing many wizards or witches. But I guess if it is my animagus form them I must have some affinity for gryphons that the wand recognized.

I can’t believe your bought you a wand. She always seems to throw such a fit over thinks like that.

I know. I did try to talk Mum out of it. Wands are so expensive, and I felt so guilty that she was spending so much. But then she told me not to worry about it. She said that Sirius had paid for it as a late birthday present.

Sirius? He bought you a wand?

Yes.

But, why? That just seems so odd.

I know. And when I asked Mum about it she just told me to hush and got the strangest look on her face. Something is definitely up.

How odd. I’ll ask him about it.

Okay, just make sure not to mention it in front of Ron. I don’t want to hurt his feelings since I got a new wand and he didn’t. I don’t think he would take it well.

Sure. You really did have a weird day.

Oh! I haven’t even told you the weirdest part yet!

There’s more?

Yes! So after we got my wand, Mum and I met the rest of the family to get our books. There were all these people there. Gilderoy Lockhart was signing copies of his biography or something. It was a madhouse.

Who’s that?

Some guy who had done all this fantastic stuff. Mum is always talking about him. And by the way Hermione was talking about him today I think he must be a really powerful wizard or something. It was almost like she fancied him. Come to think of it, maybe she does fancy him. He’s won all these awards for being handsome and stuff. He wrote like half our booklist, too. Anyways, we were waiting in line to get our stuff when Malfoy and his father came in. I never realized how much Draco is like his dad. Now I know where he learned it all. They made quite a scene.

He didn’t hurt you, did he?

No. He tried to make some snide comment. Only he never got the words out of his mouth. My wand made a lovely debut with the bat bogey hex. It is much stronger when I can cast it with my own wand instead of having to… borrow someone else’s. It took his dad ages to get the bogies off of him. Shut him right up.

That’s fantastic! Wish I had been there to see it.

It was hilarious. Mum was livid at me, though. Only she couldn’t get too angry at me, because as I was cursing Malfoy Jr, Dad was getting into a fist fight with Malfoy Sr.

You’re kidding!

Nope. Dad gave him a lovely black eye. The twins said they’ve never been so proud of him before. And Dad was going on and on about how he wanted to catch Malfoy Sr doing something dark. He just knows he was a Death Eater.

A Death Eater?

That’s what they called Voldemort’s followers last time.

Seems like a weird name. Wonder why they call themselves that.

No idea. We’ll have to ask Hermione.

Wow, you really did have quite the day. Wish I could have been there to curse Malfoy with you. He deserves it.

You can get him at school. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of opportunities to introduce him to some of the more… interesting uses of magic. Now that I’ll be there with you we should be able to prank him better.

True, you are much better at it than me.

Much more practice, Harry. Years of pranking Fred and George will teach you a thing or two. So what did you due today? Practice fencing without me?

No. All I did today was work on my stupid transformation. Again. Still can’t get anything to happen. It is getting really frustrating.

You’ll get it. And I’ll help.

Thanks, Gin.

I’m glad we get to talk like this, Harry.

Me, too. You’re my best friend.

I know. You’re a horrible influence on me, Potter.

Hey! You’re the one with all the devious little plots!

Who? Little me? No, I’m a good girl. Everyone knows that.

Yeah, right. I don’t buy that at all.

That’s cause I’m a good actress, everyone thinks there is no way little adorable Ginny could do anything wrong. It’s why I get away with so much. Although I think Mum is starting to worry about me. I found a diary in my school books. I think she wants me to channel my creative juices into something besides pranking.

A diary?

Yeah. But I don’t think I am going to write in it. Why write in a stupid old book when I can write to you instead?

Thanks, Gin. Don’t ever stop writing to me.

Like you could ever get rid of me, Potter.

Good thing. I don’t want to get rid of you.

Ginny looked at the parchment in front of her, making a valiant but largely futile effort not to cry. Harry really did care about her. Harry Potter cared about little Ginny Weasley. She could hardly believe it. But it seemed a little odd to her that Harry was saying such things. Wasn’t really like him at all. Hmm. Something was up.

Okay, Harry. Out with it. What’s wrong?

You know me too well.

Yes. Now spill.

I had another nightmare last night.

Was it about Quirrell again?

No. This time I dreamed that Voldemort came after me and I couldn’t fight him. I wasn’t strong enough. And I watched him destroy everyone and everything I love. It was horrible. I couldn’t do anything to stop him. I just had to sit there and watch him kill everyone. He had Sirius and Remus and… he had you. And I couldn’t stop the BASTARD from hurting you. I’m sorry, Gin.

Oh, Harry. It was just a dream. We’re all fine.

What if I’m not good enough, Gin? What if I can’t beat him?

Don’t talk like that! You will beat him, Harry! And not because of some stupid prophecy, either. You will beat him because you’re you. And you’re strong and brave and smart. And you will beat him because that bastard killed your parents and you and I both know you want to avenge them. And you will beat him because I believe in you. You hear that, Harry? You will beat him because I told you so, and we both know what happens when I don’t get my way. Do you really want to risk my wrath my disappointing me?

Ginny knew she was being a little silly, but that was the point. Harry had been like this several times this summer, and she only hoped that she was able to help him a little. She had to get him laughing again, and believing in himself. And if that meant being a little silly and over the top then she didn’t mind. That’s what friends are for.

Thanks, Gin. I’m glad you’re my friend. And I’m glad you know everything. It makes me feel better knowing you believe in me.

I will always believe in you, Harry. Always!

Harry was just turning the light off when she scrawled one last thing across the bottom of the parchment.

And don’t you forget it!

He didn’t think he ever could.

Somewhere in the forest outside Ottery St. Catchpole, a small house elf named Dobby was repeatedly twisting his ears in worry. He had finally escaped for a few precious hours from him horrible masters. He had to find Harry Potter and warn him not to go back to Hogwarts. But Dobby could not find Harry Potter. He knew that Harry Potter was nearby, but some strange magic was preventing him from finding him. And now he wouldn’t be able to warn Harry Potter, and Harry Potter would die because of the evil plot at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry.

Crying in anguish the small house elf disappeared from the forest.