The Summer after Book Five

Prologue:

Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts had been less than good. He had been having dreams of that strange room. He lost his God Father, and almost got a good deal of his friends and professors killed by Death Eaters. Needless to say he was quite depressed. He refused to go home to the Dursley's, considering they would have no sympathy for him really, except for Aunt Petunia who knew some about the Wizarding world because of her sister Lilly. So, Harry went back to the Weasley's house to stay, sending a letter to his Aunt and Uncle that he would be better off there with his friends and what seemed like real family. Percy Weasley had disappeared and no one really knew where he was, figuring him gone as an ally to You Know Who. Harry knew well that Lord Voldemort was hot on his trail, but he refused to go back to his Muggle biological family that cared nothing about him. At least with the Weasleys he was among true family and friends. Penelope Clearwater was there a lot as well. Apparently she and Percy had been closer than people thought, and she wore a silver band with a small blue and white swirled jewel in it. Obviously Molly Weasley took her in out of Pity and like, though as everyone else thought of Percy; they thought slightly more of Penelope who could at least have fun when the occasion arose. Hermione, as always was buried in books to prepare for their next year at Hogwarts, and still wrote to Viktor Krum, who was in his last year at Durmstrang's school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ron held the letter from him that Pigwidgeon, the spazzy little owl Sirius had left him, had brought back. He fingered it in a flustered way and sighed.

"I don't get why she is still writing to that prat. Aren't there plenty of guys around here enough for her?" Ron looked to his older brothers, Fred and George, who just grinned at one another knowingly.

"The way you complain about it Ronnykins, might make us think you're in love with the girl". Ron's eyes widened and he looked down, his face turning bright red.

"What did I tell you about calling me that", after he composed himself, he got very defensive.

"Well we would tell you but we have to go". The snickered and moved out the door, after downing their juice. Upstairs Harry rolled over in bed, looking up at the clock, which was blurry without his glasses. He reached over and grabbed them off the stand, slowly sitting up. His scar was burning again but that was the usual regime first thing in the morning. Ginny knocked and then burst into the room.

"Harry, Hermione said to come wake you up or we are going to be late!" Harry looked at her and nodded.

"I'll be down in a minute". Ginny nodded and moved from the room, and then in her place Hermione came up.

"Are you alright Harry?" She watched him for a moment and then smiled. "Honey Duke's is featuring a new kind of candy. Everyone wants to go so I thought you would like to go too. I'm going, but only because Ginny doesn't want to be the only girl there with you all". She nodded a little and looked up hearing Ginny call her name.

"I'll be down in a minute". And then Ron burst through the door.

"If you don't hurry up we're going to be late". Hermione shot him a look and rolled her eyes.

"Fine, let's go. Harry we'll wait for you down in the Kitchen". Harry smiled and shook his head slowly. What a way to wake up in the morning.

"What kind of candy?"

"Harry I don't know, something about babble-taffies, you eat them and they make you say random words and questions and insults". She rolled her eyes as she was tugged out of the room by Ron. "Ow would you stop!" Hermione turned and swatted Ron on the shoulder.

"As you can see, he's impatient so I'm going". Then there were the sounds of them running down the stairway yelling at each other. Harry smiled and stood up to get dressed, wondering in a melancholy way, if they were just trying to keep him busy. Already he had been to book signings in the Muggle world with Hermione, and to events in the Wizarding world with them both and the Weasley family. Oh well. He stood up and started to pull on his clean pants and blue shirt over a white t-shirt, along with his sneakers, heading down to the kitchen and out to the car where everyone was waiting, grabbing a glass of juice and pop-over on the way out.