A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for putting me on story alerts! So I've decided I'm starting in 5th year rather than 6th. Sorry about the wait. I was trying to figure out the story. I know what's going to happen now, so things should go faster. Sorry for the short chapter! It was just needed to establish setting I think. The next one should be up tomorrow though!

It was almost time to return to Hogwarts for fifth year, and Hermione was excited. She couldn't wait to get back to school and work again. She had missed the library especially. The smell of books, old and dusty, but full of information. Full of things to learn. Things to be good at. She smiled at the thought of returning to classes and answering questions. She had already read all of their textbooks of course, to be sure that she wouldn't be behind.

She was at Number 12 Grimmauld Place for the summer, staying with the Weasley's and Harry, along with an assortment of Order members. At the moment, she was poring over her potions book. It was the second time she had read it that summer, but this year she was sure Snape would find no fault in her work. She frowned as she heard a loud bang from the floor below.

She went into the hall. "I'm trying to get work done up here, if you don't mind!"

"Sorry Hermione," Harry's muffled voice called from somewhere below her, "these bugs are putting up quite the fight. Do you want to help us clean out the house instead? Take a break?" He paused, and she heard him grunt in pain, "Arrgh! It just got me!"

"Coming!" she cried, rushing down the stairs. She found Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Sirius bent over an old trunk in the drawing room. Large beetles crawled around them, emitting sparks every few seconds.

"It's like those bloody skrewts all over again!" Ron complained, nursing a burnt finger.

Hermione surveyed the damage. It looked like the sparks had set the rug on fire at some point, as a corner of it was black and charred. Ginny's hair was singed, and Harry's hand was bleeding profusely.

"You know," Sirius said, "maybe we should get Mad-Eye on this. He's much better at this sort of thing."

"Couldn't have decided that earlier?" Ron said, standing quickly and turning to Harry and Hermione, "Come on, let's get out of here before we find spiders."

They walked up the stairs to the room Harry and Ron shared.

"We're going back in only two days," Ron commented mournfully, "and we've got our O.W.L.'s this year."

"Well, at least I'm allowed to go back," Harry said, leaning back against Ron's bed. "What do you think's going to happen this year, with Voldemort at large again?"

"Dunno," Ron said quietly.

"You two are being silly. Nothing's going to happen to us at Hogwarts, with Dumbledore around," Hermione soothed. She checked her watch, "I think it's time for dinner. Let's go help your mum get ready, Ron."