Disclaimer: Harry Potter universe does not belong to me although just using for a little creative writing.

A/N: This is my first multi-chapter story. Don't know How long it will be, but I hope you enjoy this take on year 7. This story is the work of me and my fellow Harry Potter Freak, Padfoot2525.

Journey's End, Journey's Begining

As Harry climbed into the threstal-drawn carriage headed for Hogsmeade, he couldn't help but feel a great sence of loss. He was leaving Hogwarts, his real home for so long. This time for good. Not only was this the place where Dumbledore had been laid to rest, but it was first place that he had ever felt welcome. He took one last look at the magnificent castle before pulling the carriage door closed.

"You okay, Mate," Ron asked, his eyes full of concern.

Harry didn't reply right away. He stared at the floor for as if he was contemplating his answer. "No, actually. But I will be. Eventually, I will be."

"Harry..." Hermione began, but she was cut off.

"It's okay, Hermione. I know," Harry said, "Thank you."

Nothing more was said as they made their way toward the train. Something about the companionable silence put Harry at ease.

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Upon boarding the train, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny found a compartment to themselves near the rear of the last car. They stored their luggage and settled in for a long ride. After half an hour of small talk, a game of chess was suggested by a wickedly grinning Ron.

"Why not," sighed Harry, "I haven't lost a game in a while, I'm almost forgot what it's like."

"Well, allow me to remind you," Ron said, smiling broadly.

Then Ron proceeded to remind Harry just how spectacularly he could loose at Wizards Chess. Not only did Harry loose, he was slaughtered. His pieces ran squeeling from Ron's before being pounded to fine bits of stone and dust.

"Well, that was unexpected," Harry smirked sarcastically.

"You almost had me there for a while, Mate, really, if you had just moved your queen to..."

But Ron's vain attempt to convince Harry that he had played well at least at some point in the game was interrupted by the arrival of the lunch trolley.

"Anything for you today, dears?" asked the plump witch sweetly.

After consuming a conciderable amount of pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, fizzing whizzbees and Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans (which included a sardine flavored one for Ron and one for Harry that tasted suspisiously like baby powder) the four of them settled comfortably in a lull of general conversation. Hermione came up with a brilliant idea and transfigured the empty sweets boxes into soft, plush pillows for everyone.

Harry then laid his head on the pillow that was pressed up against the window. He closed his eyes and started to dose immediately. He was vaugely aware of a warm body press against his. However, this being the first real sleep that he had had in several days,he shrugged off the potentially awkward position that he would find himself in when he woke up .

Half an hour later, they were roused from their peaceful slumber by a sneering voice.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this cozy?"

Harry eyes snapped open. Pansy Parkinson was standing in the doorway with her usual gaggle of Slytherin girls leering from behind her. In Harry's surprise of seeing Pansy, he had almost forgotten that Ginny was snuggled into his chest, hugging her pillow, and he had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione to find them in a similar position, but Ron was the one cuddled against Hermione's stomach, drooling on his pillow, while Hermione's hand was resting over his shoulder.

"Well, I think that we should leave the love birds alone. If anyone starts snogging, I don't think I'll be able to hold down my lunch," a rather broad and homely girl said from behind Pansy in a rather husky voice.

"Yes, well, I quite agree," said Pansy, taking a step farther into the compartment. Ginny, Ron and Hermione had woken up by this point. The latter two blushing deeply at the rather close proximity that they found themselves in. "See you, Potter. I doubt that this excuse for a school will be open next year with that Mudblood Lover rotting away in his..."

However, she was suddenly rendered speachless. Four wands had been pointed at her and one incantation said aloud. Pansy fell back into the shocked group of girls in the doorway, gagging. Pink bubbles and foam started to flow freely from her open mouth, her legs were bound together, there was a deep cut along her right arm that she was grasping tightly and there were flying boogey's on her face.

"Get her out of here or you'll look just like her," Harry said to the other girls in a deadly whisper. The rest of the Slytherins quickly dragged Pansy's fretful form out of the compartment and out of sight.

Harry slammed the door shut behind them so hard that the glass shattered and fell tinkling to the floor.

"Reparo," Ginny said quietly. The glass flew up off of the floor and fitted itself flawlessly back into its place, good as new.

"Who used sectumsempra?" Harry asked.

"We assumed you did," Ron said, sounding surprised.

"No, I used the Scouring Charm."

"And I used the Bat-Boogey Hex," Ginny put in.

Everyone turned to Hermione, who was wearing a look of complete defiance.

"Hermione?" Ron asked breathlessly. When he didn't recieve and answer, he continued. "Harry used Scouring, Ginny used the Boogey's and I used the Leg Locker Jinx, that just leaves you for the sectumsempra."

After another moment of slience Hermione finally spoke. "Well...I...It was the only thing short of an Unforgivable Curse that I could think of that would even begin to inflict upon that cow what she has coming to her!"

Everyone was speachless. After an entire school year of despising and warning agaisnt all that was written in Harry's potions book, she had used the one thing in the book that had proved harmful. And used it well in Harry's opinion.

"I thought you said that you wouldn't ever use anything in Harry's book?" Ron teased a red-faced Hermione.

"Just drop it, Ron," Hermione snapped, heatedly.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking," Ron mumbled.

Everyone sat back down in his or her seat. Without thinking, they settled back into the positions that they were in before Pansy had made an appearance. For Harry and Ginny, this seemed natural,though a little uncomfortable, as they had dated. However, as soon as Ron and his pillow found a comfortable spot on Hermione's stomach, his eyes went as round as dinner plates. He sat bolt upright, turning bright red.

"Sorry, Hermione! I... I... it's just that... I'll just sit over here," Ron stuttered, pointing to the part of the seat on his other side. He scooted over, blushing furiously.

There was an awkward silence where Ron and Hermione cast glances around the compartment at anything and everything but each other. Harry and Ginny were barely surpressing the huge smiles. But, thankfully, they didn't have to hold their composure very long. A shudder was felt down the train as the Hogwarts Express was slowed to stop at King's Cross.

Harry and Ron helped the girls get their trunks down from the luggage rack, then lifted their own down. A feeling of finality swept over Harry as he walked off of the train with Ron, Hermione and Ginny, each of laden with school trunks and their pets' cages, respectively. He knew that this was the last time he would ever ride the train. He turned on the platform to stare at the hansom, scarlet steam engine. Harry found himself thinking of the first time he set foot on it over six years previous. It seemed only fitting that the iron maiden who had carried him off to the only place his heart called home was the one who to seal him away, never to return.

"Harry, dear!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, pulling him into one of her bone-crushing hugs. She finally released him and held him at arm's length. "Oh, Harry. You're as skinny as ever. Do you ever eat?"

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley."

"Hello, Harry," Mr. Weasley said, extending a hand for Harry to shake.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," Harry replied, extending his own hand.

"You ready, Harry?" Ron asked happily.

"Ready for what?"

"To tell your aunt and uncle to make room in their car for two more."

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry, perplexed.

"We were serious, Harry. When we said we were with you, even at your aunt and uncle's, we meant it," Hermione said with the air of explaining the obvious.

"Yeah, Mate. Did you think we were just saying that to make you feel better. No. We're coming, wheather the muggles like it or not," Ron added, a note of finality apparant in his voice.

Harry could see that he was not only had they made up their mind, but by the lack of surprise on the Weasley's faces, Ron had obviously already told his parents his intentions.

Admitting defeat, Harry turned and started heading toward the barrier that would take them back to the muggle world. As they emerged from the bricks into the station, Harry could make out two large figures flanking a lanky, skinny one waiting by the exit.

"I hope you know what you're in for," Harry said to his grinning best friends.

"Yeah we do," Said Ron. "This is going to be so much fun."

"You think so?

"Oh, yeah. Fred and George gave me some testers. The next few weeks should be very interesting indeed."

Harry led the way toward the Dursleys, followed closely by Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley brought up the rear. The Dursleys looked as if they had been petrified. Uncle Vernon's face seemed to be carved of stone in a look that plainly showed great distaste he harbored for the people now standing before him. Aunt Petunia was blushing furiously at the thought of being seen in such company, even though there was no offensive pink hair or magic eyes this time. Dudley just stood stock still, clutching the car door handle as if were life support.

"Hello," Mr. Weasley said brightly.

Uncle Vernon grunted in return.

"Told you," Harry muttered under his breath to the others.

"Get in the car, boy," Vernon spat.

"Actually, I think I'll go with them, thanks."

"What? You're going with them? I thought that Double-Door bloke said that you had to return to our house because of some sort of protection thing? If we'd have known this, we wouldn't have bothered to make the drive!"

Harry let the Dursleys get almost in the car before he spoke up.

"I didn't say that I wasn't going back to Privet Drive. I just said that I was going with them. We are all going there."

The Dursleys whipped around so fast that Harry could hear their popping necks.

"What did you say, boy?" whispered Uncle Vernon dangerously.

"I mean that all of us," Harry waved his hand around indicating the Weasleys and Hermione, "are going with you," he pointed at the Dursleys, "to your house."

"You most certainly are not! No, no, no, no, no! No more bloody freaks in my house. You're bad enough and after that nutter last summer! No! No way! Not going to happen!" bellowed Uncle Vernon so loud that Aunt Petunia came out of her shockened state to frantically shush him, as passers-by were starting to stare.

"Now, now. There's no need for name calling! I'm sure we can talk about this like reasonable people," Mr. Weasley interjected in a voice of forced calm. He was throughly put out by being refered to as a 'freak'.

"Reasonable people my foot! What reason could your people have?" Mr. Dursley spat under his breath.

"We won't be staying of couse. We just want to see Harry safely home. Then the three of us will be on our way."

"What the ruddy hell do you mean 'the three of us'! By my count, there should be five of you leaving!"

"Well," Harry spoke up, "Ron and Hermione will be staying with me for a while. Then we'll leave in a couple weeks. For good!" Harry smiled broadly at this thought.

The Dursley's were flabberghasted. There were six wierdos standing matter-of-factly in front of them informing them that they not only were they all coming home with them, but two extra freaks would be staying! This simply would not do. Harry was bad enough, but two more teenage wizards in the house. Unacceptable!

Twenty minutes later, a very distrought Uncle Vernon was driving his newly magically-exanded car back to Privet Drive. Not only did he loose the argument about who would and would not be staying in his home, magic had been preformed on his car and he was four Weasleys and a Granger heavy. This was going to be a long ride indeed.