I like putting details like Fred's bike into my stories, as I think a bit of background to a story helps keep it going. Phines in particular is a character I adore, and I keep trying to find ways to add scenes in Dumbledore's office to the story so that I can keep him coing back in. Maybe I'll move the portrait to the Gryffindor common room...

Mrs. Figg was deeply disappointed in Harry. His actions on learning of Remus' injury showed no apparent change from the way he reacted to Sirius' supposed capture weeks before.

As for Grimmmauld Place, well, anywhere would be better than Privet Drive, right?

Thanks for reviewing. If you want to stay up to date with my stories, head over to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/majickalwriting/

Awesome chapter!

You are the first person that has made elections for a new Minister of Magic, even though JK Rowling said that there was going to be. I keep trying to convince people to at least kill off Fudge, but it doesn't seem to be working. However, I'm glad that you are making elections!!! 

Lovely chapter!

Not just elections, but a whole lot of intrigue in the Ministry in this story. Although I'm confined to Harry's POV, the Prophet will be sure to report all the important facts

As for Fudge, well, I think he's a bit useless, but probably not worth killing. There'll be a few deaths along the way, alas...

I'm determined to review the right chapter this time...

Go the Harry/Ginny moment!

I loved this bit too :

" "My great-great-grandson would be proud of you, I imagine," a rather bored voice announced from the wall. "The lure of emotional distress is often just too much for women to resist."

Without any change in his expression, Harry rose and crossed to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus, former headmaster of Hogwarts and Sirius' great-great-grandfather. He turned it over, ignoring the offended sound from the portrait's subject and left it facing the wall. "

So funny!

Great new chapter! Can't wait for the next one.

I love Phineas' character. I must try and get him into the story more often, although as he's so limited in location, there isn't too much scope for it.

Harry/Ginny moments are fun, especially when one or both parties is oblivious to them

I cut a whole scene where Harry just went nuts and hexed the painting to pieces, mainly because I'm sure someone in the Order would have tried. I was fairly sure that the no-one would have thought to protect the canvas from outright physical attacks, though, because what pureblood would stoop to dirtying their hands?

Rest assured that I've got a lot planned for the story, including the obligatory new DADA teacher, and the return of the old one...

More soon  Glad to have you on board again. A few people have criticised Harry's moods in these chapters, but he's not in the best state of mind. In the next few chapters things will start to pick up for him. I just hope that it isn't all too soon.

I think Ginny's a natural new friend for Harry. It's been said before, but she's been shown to be persistent, headstrong, kind and trustworthy, all traits that Harry's friends need. She also doesn't need to worry about Harry deciding to stop talking to her, as they've only exchanged about three words in canon so far.

Yay - another chapter! You've obviously spent a lot of time linking this in with incidents in Order of the Phoenix. I loved the description of the entrance hall at the hospital. Harry seems quite unstable still although I found the destruction of the painting curious - he's controlled enough to ask for permission to destroy it but then seems to lose control in actually doing so. Maybe it is a way of him venting his temper/emotions in a reasonably harmless manner? I like the way Ginny and Harry are starting to speak. Are they going to get together in this book? Hope the next chapter is soon.

Harry's emotions are completely off the wall at this moment, but he'll find a way to calm himself in moments of stress, and it may even help him with his Occlumency.

A lot happened in OotP that had to be addressed in this story, not least how messed up Harry was going to be by all that he'd seen and done. He won't necessarily get better overnight, but the pieces will start to fall into place as the year goes on.

Other things you might want to watch for as the year goes on: The changes in Harry's relationship with Dumbledore, the effects Ron's encounter with the brain in the Ministry, the fallout from Snape's Worst Memory, Luna's interest in a certain Gryffindor and how Draco Malfoy is coping with his life as the son of a known Death Eater...

Harry and Ginny? In this book? Right at the moment, I'm leaning towards, 'Well, maybe' and considering that at the start of the story I was at 'Absolutely not' then I suppose that could be progress...