I nodded to my mom and Dumbledore who had risen from his chair.

"I believe this meeting is finished for now. I will be sure to contact all of you as for when our next meeting will be." Dumbledore went out into the hallway, giving my mom a moment and I to speak.

"It's going to be alright Abby," my mom said, pulling me into a gentle hug. "You can do this."

"Why did you never tell me?" I asked her.

My mom let out a sigh, running her hand through her hair. "It's not that I didn't want to, it's just I didn't want you worrying if there was nothing to worry about. I wasn't sure if Voldemort would become aware of what you are or not, but there has been some recent indication that he has."

"Recent indication? What happened?"

My mom cleared her throat. "Severus told us that Voldemort was talking about you the other day. He's asked Severus to keep an eye on you," my mom said, eyeing Severus in the corner of the room who was watching us. "Listen Abby this is very important. Mind-delving is a frightening thing and I want to make sure that you are prepared. Dumbledore will help you and I wi ll help you when you're home, but you must be careful. It is easy when you delve to get lost and forget whose mind and thoughts you are in, especially since you will be going through Harry. You must remember who you are. Can you do that?"

"Yeah mom, I can do that." She nodded to me in that "good girl" way and stood up, heading towards the fireplace.

"Mom!" I called out. She turned to look at me. "Where's dad?"

"He was feeling a bit under the weather, so he stayed home tonight," my mom said with a smile before turning on the spot and leaving. Sirius came over and sat down next to me after seeing that Dumbledore was talking to Kingsley.

"How is Harry?" Sirius asked me.

"Hurting," I said. "He sent you a letter didn't he?"

"Yes, he did, but I can't physically be there the way you are. You're good for him you know?" said Sirius with a boyish smile. Instinctively I felt my cheeks start to flush.

"He doesn't think of me that way Sirius," I said in a small whisper. Professor Lupin had strolled over to be involved in our conversation.

"Well, he might not now but it doesn't mean he won't in the future. Besides I don't think things will really go anywhere with Cho anyway." He gave me a reassuring smack on the back and Professor Lupin nodded at me in reassurance, thinking to me that I should remain open.

I got out of my chair and walked over to Professor Dumbledore and followed him out of the house, disapparating on the steps to our secret passage back to the school.

"Professor Dumbledore, how did my mom apparate out of Grimmauld Place?"

"Phoenixes animagi are just like house elves in the sense that they have a kind of magic that defies certain wizarding logic," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Will Voldemort go after my mother?" I asked him. He turned and looked at me.

"It is definitely a possibility. Tom may believe that by getting rid of your parents he can feed off of your anger and grief. But don't worry Abby. Your mother is a very strong witch as well as your father."

I nodded. My mother was a phoenix animagi and a great one at that, and had spent most of my life sheltering me from the darker aspects of it. The power that comes with a phoenix animagi can be difficult to control, and if not handled carefully it would be easy for the person to slip into the darkness. After all it's difficult knowing and feeling every emotion and thought of the people surrounding you. It takes a certain mind to handle it, and I was thankful my mother had helped me to be one of those people that could.

"Now remember Abby, you must not tell Harry what you are doing with the connection. That is very important. If Tom is aware of this, he might accidentally get it out of Harry's mind without evening being aware of it."

"I promise I won't tell him Professor."

We were quite for a couple of moments. "I appreciate you speaking up for him Abby. In my desire to protect him I find I lose perspective and sometimes do more damage than good."

"He knows you're trying to help him Professor, but maybe if you talk to him?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "If I talk with Harry Tom will want to use Harry to get information from me. By distancing myself I can prevent that from happening. Please understand Abby."

"I do Professor. I won't tell Harry about the connection, but I can't keep lying to him. It's not right. I'm sorry."

Dumbledore reached out a hand and put it on my shoulder. A wave of sympathy and warmth came flooding into me. "I don't want you to lie anymore Abby. It has been made very obvious tonight that Harry needs you and to try and deprive him of you would be wrong."

We were back at the castle and in Dumbledore's office. I nodded in appreciation, before leaving his office and sliding on my invisibility cloak. I listened and could hear the thoughts of Professor Umbridge on the other side of the statue.

I am surely going to get him this time.

I backtracked up the stairs and into Dumbledore's office, sliding the cloak off.

"Yes Abby?" Dumbledore asked, looking up from the book he was reading on his desk.

"Professor Umbridge is waiting outside the door," I said, annoyance coming through more than I wanted it to.

Professor Dumbledore shared a similar expression. I will go out first, and you follow me beneath the cloak," Dumbledore said with a smile. I slid the cloak back on and followed him out the doors, and down the staircase. He pushed open the door, walking through slowly and leaving enough space so I could slip out behind him.

"Dolores?" Dumbledore asked innocently. "What are you doing outside my office at this hour of the morning?"

"Albus!" Umbridge said, slightly shocked that he spotted her behind the gargoyle. "I was just patrolling the halls is all," said Umbridge with her toady smile.

"Ah, well I am sure no students would be silly enough to be out of bed after hours in front of the headmaster's office."

"You never know. I thought I saw Miss Carson moving about after hours the other day. She always seems to be slipping away from me. In fact she owes me a detention for walking out of my class with Mr. Potter the other day."

Professor Dumbledore was eyeing her curiously. "Very well. I am sure if you send her a note telling her the time and place she will be there. Although Miss Carson not wanting to tell you the details of her personal life hardly seems an appropriate reason to give her detention."

Professor Umbridge's cheeks flushed. "I know there is something going on between the two of you and I am going to figure out what."

Dumbledore nodded, that twinkle in his eyes. "Good luck."

And with that he turned and went back into his office, leaving Umbridge standing there dumbfounded and me laughing silently as I headed back to the Gryffindor common room.