A/N: Hey everyone, this is only my second fan-fic (I wrote a one-shot) so please, if you are going to review (which I hope you will) don't be too hard on me. I'll gladly except any reviews though, even if they are flames, because I want to improve in any way I can. So, with that, here's chapter one:
Back To Grimmauld Place
Harry leaned over and looked over at the clock on his nightstand, 11:00p.m. Not unusual for him. Ever since he had gotten back to the Dursley's that summer they had completely ignored him. Now, he might have considered this a good thing at one time, but the lack of anything to do caused him to dwell on the thought that he had been trying to avoid, his godfather. Harry hadn't gotten much sleep over the last couple of months. This was because of the nightmares. They were unbearable, just visions of scenes from the Department of Mysteries last year. Ron being strangled by an octopus-like brain, the sound of Ginny's ankle breaking, Hermione being hit by the purple flame Dolohov had cast on her. Harry's heart had stopped beating for a moment when he saw her laying there motionless, not to start again until Neville had found a pulse. And then the last, Sirius falling through the veil. It was one of those last two images that Harry woke up to, screaming, with sweat on his forehead. That is why he had tried to avoid sleep whenever possible; it was the only way that he wouldn't have them, but it didn't stop him from thinking about them. He tried to do things to distract himself from thinking, a hard thing to do. There was only one thing that he did on a routine, and that was writing to the Order. Those never livened up his day though, just the usual, "everything is fine here.", but he added a little more every once in a while, but they never wrote him back, in fact he hadn't gotten a letter from anyone except for one each from Ron and Hermione. So, with the dullness of his usual day (or night), he had nothing else to do, but think, and thinking led to bad thoughts and dreams. Tonight was no exception. He heard the sound of his alarm going off. He looked over, 12:00a.m. It was now officially the 31st, his birthday.
Just then he heard a tapping sound on his window. He walked over and opened it, letting Hedwig in. She flew around the room once, and then landed on Harry's bed with a soft hoot. He walked over to her, took the note attached to her leg, then stroked her.
"Thanks, girl." She gave him an affectionate nip on the ear, and then flew over to her cage to rest. He looked at the handwriting on the envelope, definitely from Hermione. He opened it:
Dear Harry,
Happy birthday! I would have sent a present with Hedwig, but figuring that I'll be seeing you later today, I decided not to wear her out. I've missed you so much, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch, but my parents have insisted that I devote my time to being here, since I'm usually gone the rest of the year, and we spent a lot of the time on vacation in . I hope you've done your summer homework, even though I highly doubt that both you and Ron have even touched yours.
He laughed. Normally she would have been right, but in an effort to think of something besides last year, he had done his homework. Even the 3-foot essay Snape had assigned them on healing potions.
I've done mine, and I assume I will be doing yours as well. I hope you've been doing ok. I know you blame yourself for Sirius' death, and the injuries to the rest of us, but it wasn't your fault Harry, we followed you in there, and nothing you could have done would have stopped us. So don't be too hard on yourself. Can't wait to see you tomorrow!
Love,
Hermione
Harry couldn't believe it. He was seeing them tomorrow? What was she talking about? His thoughts were interrupted when a brown ball of feathers shot passed his head. He looked up, immediately recognizing it as Pig, Ron's owl.
"Stupid bird, get down here." Pig was busy flying around Harry's room.
"Hedwig, do you mind?" She hooted, and then started to fly out of the cage. Pig saw this action, and in one quick move, dropped the letter on Harry's head, and flew out the window.
"Finally." He picked up the letter and opened it:
Harry,
Happy birthday! I'm going to give you your present later today at Grimmauld place. I can't wait to see you and Hermione again; it feels like ages since I saw you two. I hope Dumbledore's letter has gotten to you or else you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Well, you'll get it soon if you haven't.
From,
Ron
As if on cue, there was a flash of fire and a letter dropped onto his bed. Harry picked it up excitedly, not knowing what to expect, but happy that he was finally going to see Hermione and Ron again:
Harry,
I wish you a happy birthday, and as I know that you are probably extremely anxious to see your friends again, I have decided to allow you three to come and stay at Grimmauld place until the start of the term. The Order will continue to hold meetings there, and the rest of the Weasley's will be coming as well. I would like you to inform Fred and George that we will be sealing the doors during our meetings, so it would be a waste to try using those extendable ears, as I know you've been doing. You are probably wondering why they cannot join the Order, now that they are of age. To answer that question, the Order has decided that no one may join who is still in school, and they will be repeating their seventh year, because of the occurrences during last year. You will be picked up promptly at noon today. I would suggest that you mention that you are leaving to your relatives, for, as you and I both know, it will put them in a good mood.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry had a mixed reaction to this letter. For one he was happy that he would be able to spend the rest of the summer with his friends, and away from the Dursley's. He was however, still a little angry at Dumbledore for the events of last year. Keeping the prophecy from him, the prophecy that determined that it would just be he and Voldemort in the end. He had gotten over that mostly, and intended to apologize to Dumbledore for destroying his office last year. He still hadn't told anyone about the prophecy; he would tell them when he was ready. After all, he didn't want to worry them any more than he had to. Harry grabbed the letters and put them in his trunk. He then continued packing, without any organization, just randomly throwing them in. Once he was done he picked up his wand and Firebolt, laying them on top of his trunk, and put Hedwig's cage next to it.
Harry spent the next 11 and a half hours pacing around his room, or laying on his bed. He only left his room for breakfast, and to go to the bathroom. At breakfast he had told them about his leaving.
"Umm, Uncle Vernon?"
"What is it now, boy?"
"I'm going to be picked up by the people from the station today."
"I don't want any of those freaks in my house! You can just take your stuff, and wait outside!"
"Fine, it's not like I want to be here anyway."
With that he had hurriedly finished his breakfast and headed up to his room. He was now pacing around his room again, triple, and quadruple checking that he had remembered everything. He couldn't wait to see Ron and Hermione. Harry wasn't completely sure yet, but he thought that he had gotten over Sirius' death. Hermione had been right, he was blaming himself, but he had taken her words to heart, and was now, at least not entirely blaming himself.
At 11:50, Harry headed down stairs. He was surprised to see all three Dursley's standing there. Not only that, but they looked nice. At least as nice as the Dursley's could look. Vernon looked over at him when he came in,
"Stand up straight, try to look nice. We don't want them thinking that we're treating you badly." Now Harry knew what was going on. It seemed like they were still scared of Mad-Eye. Ever since he had threatened them, the Dursley's had been rather scared of him. Most all people had to have some fear of Mad-Eye Moody, with his face all scared, a wooden leg, and an eye that swiveled around, looking in all directions with a mind of its own.
It was then that the doorbell rang. Harry started to walk over to it, but Vernon shoved passed him and opened the door. There they all were, Tonks, Lupin, Mad-Eye, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore.
"Harry!" Hermione ran over towards him and hugged him.
"Hi, Hermione." She eventually let go, even though there was a small thought in his head wishing she hadn't. Lupin and Tonks exchanged glances, and then they too said hi to Harry, all wishing him a happy birthday. The whole time the Dursley's just stood there, watching the strange assortment of people in their living room. Harry, Hermione, and Ron talking together, Lupin, in his shaggy, torn robes, Tonks, with her hair a bright pink today and tied back in a long ponytail, Mad-Eye with his eye swiveling around, and Dumbledore, with his traditional purple hat and robe, with silver moons and stars on it, and his half-moon spectacles. After a few minutes Vernon said,
"Excuse me, but when do you all plan on leaving?"
"Oh, shut up Dursley, we'll be out of here as soon as we can, it's not like we want to be here." Mad-Eye said, with a threatening voice. If that had been he that Mad-Eye was yelling at, he would have run. He could be very intimidating at times, especially when his eye was swiveling in all directions, it was distracting.
Dumbledore looked amused, "Harry, you, Ron and Remus go get your things, we'll be outside."
"Sure Professor."
The three headed upstairs. "So, Harry, how have you been?" Lupin asked.
Harry immediately knew that he was not really asking about how he'd been, but about Sirius. "I have had a lot of time to think about it, and I think that I have managed to get over it mostly. It may be a little difficult going back to Grimmauld place, with all of the reminders of him, but I'll be fine." He didn't tell him about the nightmares, he would tell Dumbledore, and then they'd all be fussing over him, especially Molly Weasley, Ron's mom.
"I imagine it will be, but remember Harry, you're not the only one mourning his death.
Harry hadn't really thought about that before. Lupin had to have been just as sad about Sirius as he was. After all, they had been very good friends, known each other for a long time, and were two of the original Marauders.
Once they had loaded Harry's things into the car that Dumbledore had borrowed from the ministry, they started off towards Grimmauld place. Tonks was driving, and no one was very happy about that. Tonks wasn't exactly the best driver, and they very narrowly missed more than a few accidents.
He, Hermione, and Ron were all sitting next two each other in the back seat. Hermione in the middle of the two boys.
"So, Harry, who do you think the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be?" she asked him.
"It will probably be someone from the Order; Dumbledore will be trying to get as many Order members into the castle as he can."
"You're probably right, even with all the protections that Hogwarts has, there are still ways that it could be attacked. Especially with almost half of Slytherin being children of death eaters."
Ron decided to chime in at that moment, "Yeah, but enough about teachers. Harry did Dumbledore tell you if you can play Quidditch this year?"
"Oh, I forgot to ask him."
"What! How could you forget about Quidditch?"
"Ron, I had other things on my mind."
"Oh, will you to stop talking about Quidditch? What about the D.A. Harry, did you ask him about that?"
"I forgot about that too. It's not like I was in contact with him."
"I know Harry, but make sure you do. He has to let us continue it, especially since everyone now knows that Voldemort's back."
"I'll ask him later tonight, in private." There was something else that Harry had also been wanting to ask Dumbledore.
It was then that they pulled up to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore got out of the car and walked over to the space between Numbers Eleven and Thirteen. Number Twelve then appeared between them. Harry, Ron, and Lupin got Harry's stuff out of the trunk, and levitated it up into the house. Harry, Hermione, and Ron then followed him inside.
A/N: I will try and upload the next chapter soon, but I'm going to be visiting family for Easter and may not be able to for a little while. Remember, I really appreciate your reviews!
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