A/N: This is my First HP fic, so I don't know how good it is. Rated PG 13 for language and some other...err...situations. HP is JRK's. I know that....but I still hope you like this! Read and Review!

The houses on Pivet Drive were very normal. Each house was lined up perfectly with the one next to it. Each house had a perfectly green lawn, a perfectly clean car parked in the perfectly clean driveway, and perfectly normal people inhabiting perfectly average homes.

All but one, that is.

Number Four on Pivet drive was home to the Dursleys, and whether everyone else knew it or not, also home to Harry Potter. The Dursleys were the type of people who didn't take very well to abnormal situations. Harry Potter was, in the Dursleys' eyes, a very abnormal situation. He was about to attend his sixth year at Hogwarts, a boarding school where witches and wizards, like Harry, went to learn magic.

This day, Harry could be found up in his room, brooding. The nightmare that was his fifth year at Hogwarts wouldn't stay off his mind. He couldn't even escape his sadness while he slept. His friends weren't that much help, either. A stack of letters lay on his nightstand. Most were from Ron or Hermione, but each of them seemed to say the exact same thing.

Dear Harry,
Hope you're doing well? Ron says you haven't replied to his letters...I do hope you're all right. Everyone has been worried about you since, well, you know, what happened...I'm sure everything will be all right. Ron and I are meeting at Diagon Alley. We are planning to spend the week before school starts there. Will we see you there as well?
Much love, Hermione

Harry,
I bet your summer is pretty bad, huh? Sorry. Mum says you could come stay with us? We're headed to Diagon Alley soon to meet Hermione. It'd be great if you were there. You need to have some fun. It would get your mind off, err...things.
Ron

In just under thirty seconds, Harry would be sixteen. Not that it mattered to the Dursleys, or for that matter, to him. The clock on his nightstand blinked midnight, and he sighed. All around him, the house was quiet, but for his Uncle Vernon's annoyingly loud snoring in the next room.

Suddenly, as Harry had just sunk back into his pillow, there was a sort of popping sound, and the Weasley family and Hermione Granger was in his bedroom.
"Oy, sorry Harry...wasn't aiming for your knees, you know." Ron apologized.
"Hello Harry!" Mrs. Weasley greeted him in her usual high-pitched tone.
"Sh!" Harry pleaded. "The Dursleys! You'll wake them!"
"Oh, those stupid gits! We've got a portkey, Harry. What could they possibly do?" George asked.
Hermione shrugged. "Well, we don't really live here, so I guess we wouldn't know..." she sympathized.
"Where's your trunk, 'Arry?" yawned Mr. Weasley.
Harry pointed as he jumped from his bed. He landed with a rather loud thud, but at this point, he didn't care. "Right here, sir...and Hedwig is out hunting, but I'm sure she'll find her way..."

Harry scribbled a note for the Dursleys. 'Not that you care or anything, but I left with the Weasley family. I'll be back in June. –Harry'

In no time at all, Harry found himself at Diagon Alley, back in the wizarding world. He spent his days exploring the various shops, buying school supplies, and doing homework. His nights were spent at the Three Broomsticks, lounging around with the Weasleys and Hermione, and fighting off the bad dreams that invaded his not-so-peaceful sleep.

A day before the group was supposed to catch the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross, Ron, Hermione, and Harry ran into an old friend, Luna Lovegood. She was outside the ice cream shop with her father when they bumped into her.
"Hello Harry, Ron, Hermione..." she smiled.
Ron waved. "Hey Luna."
Hermione wrapped Luna in a hug. "It's been a couple months, hasn't it? I've kind of missed your company. It's great to see you." She whispered.
Harry blinked. Then Harry blinked again. Was it his imagination, or had something about Luna Lovegood changed? He looked her up and down. Something had changed. Luna Lovegood was georgeous. She smiled at Harry.
"Hello Harry," she waved again.
"Oh...hi, Luna." He gulped.
Luna nodded. "How have you, um...been?" she asked.
"I've been better." He admitted.
"I could understand that," Luna sighed. She wrapped him in a hug. "It will be all right. Time heals all wounds, you know?"
"Sure it does," he nearly growled.

At the Sorting, Harry sat across from Ron, next to Luna, and on the other side of Hermione. He wasn't really paying attention, even as a first year girl, Sara Silverman, was sorted into Gryffindor. He kept stealing glances at Luna, who honestly wasn't paying attention either.
"Harry? Isn't that great?" Ron was saying. What had he been talking about?
"Yeah, sure. Uh huh." Harry droned.
"You all right, mate?" asked Seamus.
"Yeah, it's great, Ron." Harry repeated. He hadn't realized that everyone was staring worriedly at him. Finally he blinked. "What's wrong with everybody?" he demanded.
"We were wondering what was wrong with you," Hermione snapped. "You've been staring off into space for the past five minutes. You haven't even blinked."
Harry's mouth dropped open. "I was? Sorry..." he stammered.

Classes started the following morning. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Luna (to their horror) all had Double Potions first. Snape was his usual Harry- loathing self, but in this particular class, he also seemed to be delighted in nearly making Luna cry. Harry fumed with anger.
"Professor, I would love it if you would stop being a giant git," he yelled. He got up and stood in front of Luna. "Whatever problem it is that you have with me, my friends, or my parents, get over it!" He hadn't meant to burst out in such a manner, but he had, and he soon found himself in Professor McGonnagal's office.

"Potter, I understand that you have been rather upset lately. I am very aware of what happened last summer. But do you think it wise to try and take out these aggressions on your professors?" McGonnagal was very calm, yet stern as usual.
"He made Luna cry, Professor. And last year...Last year, he was supposed to teach me occlumancy. Except I found out he wasn't exactly popular when he went here, and that he hated my parents, so he refused. Did you know that?"
"Potter, I..." But she was interrupted when Harry felt the need to continue.
"Yes, he refused, and Voldemort tricked me. You know why? Because I didn't know how to do occlumancy. And now Sirius is dead, and I almost got Luna and Ron and Hermione killed..."
"You blame Professor Snape for what happened?" she whispered.
"He was supposed to teach me, wasn't he?" Harry screamed.
"Well, yes, but..."
"And he didn't!" Harry ranted. He got up and stormed angrily out of McGonnagal's office before she even had the chance to punish him.

"Damn it!" Harry cursed, throwing his hands in the air in defeat.
"Harry? You going to be all right?" Ron whispered.
"I'm fine, Ron." He hissed.
"No you're not, mate," Ron whispered. He reached out to pat his friend on the back, but Harry shrugged him away.
"Harry...."
"Go away, Hermione. I already told Ron, I'm fine." Harry grumbled.
"It's not Hermione." Harry looked up to see Luna Lovegood sitting across from him. "Harry, I just wanted to say...well, thanks. You know, for standing up for me in Potions today. I really am sorry about Sirius."
"How would you know it's about Sirius?" he shot at her.
"Because Luna went with me. We've had a talk with Professor McGonnagal." The voice was familiar. Harry looked up to see none other than Remus Lupin standing next to him.
"What are you doing here?" Harry was actually surprised to see his favorite teacher back on Hogwarts grounds. However, his question had come out in a much harsher tone.
"Dumbledore has hired me again, despite the attempts of many to keep me away. I owe him a lot, you know. Do you want to talk to me about it?" Lupin smiled.
"You know what happened." Harry huffed.
Lupin sighed. "Yes, but I meant did you want to talk to me about what's going on with you? You know, Sirius and your parents were my best friends all throughout my schooling here."
"Ironic, isn't it? You know my family more than I do." He groaned.
"That is the terrible way that things played out." Lupin nodded. "You know...Lily hated James. She hated him with a passion for the longest time. And in the end, he died for her, and she died protecting you."
"I already know that," Harry hissed.
"Did you know that your parents knew about the prophecy? They knew what their fate was to be. Terrible, yes, to know such a thing, to know that you cannot change fate. But nevertheless, they ended up together, despite what they knew would happen."
Harry wiped away a fugitive tear. Luna smiled and handed him a handkerchief. "Why would you tell me something like that?" he demanded.
"Lily and James were Marauders. Marauders for life. Now, I'm the only one left." Lupin frowned. "We all knew what would happen. You see? It was James and Lily's fate that they didn't live to see you grow up, but they loved you. They loved you so much. So did Sirius. And it was Sirius's fate that he died saving you. He wanted to save you, to protect you, and he did. Nothing would make him happier than to know that you are all right."
Harry sighed, letting his shoulders droop. "Just great." He groaned. "Well, Luna, Lupin, you may want to get away," he advised.
"Why?" demanded Luna, who was teary-eyed from Lupin's sad story.
"Because everyone I've ever loved has died." Harry said simply as he got up and walked away.
Luna got up to follow him, but Lupin held her back. "He has to deal with it in his own way. That will take some time. Just give him time." He smiled.