Harry lugged his trunk down the stairs and set it against the front door

next to Hedwig's cage. In the living room, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudley were

watching one of their favorite shows on the television.

Walking to the living room door, Harry called out softly, "I'm going now."

Aunt Petunia looked over at him, her face set in a disapproving frown. "Are you

all packed?" She asked.

"Yes," said Harry.

Uncle Vernon squinted his beady eyes at him. "Nothing missing upstairs? All

that…that rubbish is picked up?"

Harry frowned in thought. "What rubbish?" He asked.

Aunt Petunia looked over at Uncle Vernon with fear on her face. Uncle Vernon's

eyes opened wide in horrified surprise at Harry's question.

"You know what I mean, boy," roared Uncle Vernon. "The rubbish you use to go

to that…that school of yours!"

Harry understood. They were talking about his cauldron, broomstick, quills and

things.

"Yes," he said. "It's all packed up. I left nothing upstairs."

Uncle Vernon's eyes got even more squinty if possible. "And you won't be

coming back here, then will you?"

Harry frowned at him. "No I won't," he said.

"Good then!" Yelled Uncle Vernon. "You stay away from our house and stick to

your own kind!"

"Don't worry," said Harry. "I will!"

Harry turned furiously on his heel and opened the front door. Picking up Hedwig's

cage, he carried it outside to wait for the Knight Bus. He had just brought out his trunk

when he heard a WHAM, followed by a squeal of tires. Harry saw that it was the bus.

The doors on the side of it opened wide and Stan Shunpike came out.

"Right then," he said, looking over at Harry. "Harry Potter for The Burrow, right?"

"Right," said Harry. He held out the money to Stan, who took it then the two of

pulled Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the bus.

"You'll be in the first bed, then," said Stan, who used his foot to shove Harry's

trunk under the first bed behind Ernie's chair. "Last one off. We've got quite a crowd

tonight." Harry settled himself onto the bed and with a BANG, the Knight Bus took off.

Harry's bed bounced and jostled and Harry tried to lay back and get some sleep.

It was hard what with the way the bus moved, dodging trees, trash cans and houses as

it sped through England.

Harry's eyelids were just about to shut when Stan's voice called out to him.

"Seen the paper yet?" He asked.

Harry sat up. "No," he said. "Why?"

Stan handed him the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Daily Prophet

Ministry officials get ready to greet exchange students from

Abroad.

Below that was a picture of Cornelius Fudge and a brief explanation of how

exchange students from several countries were coming to Hogwarts to learn advanced

Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"All Dumbledore's idea, they say," said Stan. "Going to train them to fight against

the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who."

Harry read through the article and looked at the picture. It said they would be

arriving soon and would be ready to start Hogwarts at the beginning of the term.

Harry handed the paper back to Stan and tried to lay down again. The rumbling

of the bus and its constant motion almost threw him out of bed until finally, he felt

himself drifting off.

"Harry," said a voice in his ear. "Harry," it said yet again.

Harry looked to his left and saw her there again. "Oh God, please, not again,"

he said to her.

She chuckled at him and settled in closer to him.

"Go away," said Harry. "I don't want to do this again."

Harry felt her hand settle on his stomach and he clenched his muscles in

response.

"It's alright Harry. I won't do anything tonight. You're not alone."

"Thank you," he said. "I don't think I could stand being frustrated again."

"I don't mean to frustrate you," she said. "Remember. I only want to make you

happy."

Harry blinked at her. "Why all the sex?" He asked.

The girl smiled at him. "Didn't it make you happy?"

Harry leaned his head back. "Yes," he said. "But I still want to know why. Why is

this supposed to help me make my choice?"

"Harry, just think," she said. "What would it be like if I were to do this to you for

real?"

Harry tried to imagine it, but failed. Right now, it was agony and ecstasy. What

would happen if it were to happen in real life?

Suddenly, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

Harry pulled back. "I thought you said you weren't going to do anything?" He

asked.

The girl chuckled at him. "You're too much of a temptation to me, Harry. I couldn't

resist."

Harry stared at her in shock. "I'm a temptation," he said. "That's funny. I thought

that that's what you were supposed to be for me?"

"I am," she said. "Do I tempt you?"

Harry thought it over. "Is that what this is about? Are you supposed to tempt

me?"

"You've figured it out," she said. "Now tell me, what can I tempt you with?"

Harry looked at her. "You tempt me with my family and you tempt me with

love making."

"True," she said. "And would they both make you happy?"

Harry thought it over. "You know that they would. But what happens to me if

I choose you and give in to temptation?"

"You win," she said, grinning at him.

"Yes, but what do I win?"

"You win everything," she said.

Harry frowned. He knew he'd heard this story somewhere before. About a guy

who was tempted and had fought the devil.

"What do I lose if I give in to temptation and choose you?" Asked Harry. "Do I

lose my soul?"

"No my dear," she said. "You don't lose your soul."

"But I'll lose something, won't I?"

The girl frowned at him. "You're very perceptive," she said. "Yes, you will lose

something, but I don't think you'll miss it."

"What?" He asked.

"Harry…Harry! Harry dear wake up!"

"Poor thing, he's exhausted!"

Harry heard the voices over him and opened his eyes, blinking them several

times as he struggled to awaken. He looked up into the kind brown eyes of

Mrs. Weasley. She was standing next to his bed in her dressing gown, Ron at her side.

"Oh, sorry," he said, sitting up.

"Right," said Stan. "Off you go!"

Harry stood up and together he and Ron dragged his trunk and Hedwig's cage

off the Knight Bus.

They lugged it across the yard and into the Weasley's house, which rose several

stories into the chill night air.

Mrs. Weasley's voice came from behind them. "Just go upstairs and make yourself at

home, Harry dear."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.

She looked at him kindly. "Try to get some more rest," she said. "You look as if

you haven't slept well in ages."

Harry felt himself blush as he turned away from her and he and Ron made their

way up the several flights of stairs to Ron's bedroom at the top of the house. The ghoul

who haunted the attic was in rare form tonight and was banging away on the pipes

above Ron's room.

"So, what were you dreaming about Harry?" Asked Ron as he helped Harry put

his trunk at the end of the camp bed.

"Uh, why do you ask?" Asked Harry, looking up in surprise.

"Because, you were talking in your sleep."

Harry's blush returned. "Oh, it was nothing," he said. "Just a…just a…you know

A nightmare."

Ron's eyes widened in horror. "It wasn't about You-Know-Who, was it?"

Harry laughed. "No, it wasn't"

"Good," said Ron, relief evident on his face.

Harry put his pajamas on and was just stretching out on the bed when he heard

Ron's voice in the dark.

"Did you hear about what's happening at Hogwarts this year? Heard what old

Dumbledore's up to?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "I read about it on the Knight Bus on the way over here."

"Exchange students," said Ron. "I hope it's better than during the Tri-Wizard

tournament."

Harry hoped so as well. During the Tri-Wizard tournament, which had been held

during his fourth year, his name had been entered as the fourth contestant in the

tournament, when there were supposed to be only three. Harry had eventually won the

tournament, but only after coming face to face with a revived Lord Voldemort and his

Death Eaters. Harry had narrowly escaped them and once back on the grounds of

Hogwarts, had found that one of Voldemort's servants had taken the place of the

Defense Against The Dark Arts Teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, and had placed Harry's

name in the Goblet of Fire, which chose the contestants.

Harry was wondering what the students would be like, when he felt his eyelids

close and he drifted off to sleep.

He heard a giggle next to him in the darkness.

"I knew you'd come back," said Harry, turning to face and giving her a grin.

"Good," she said. "You've come to expect me. It's make things a whole

lot easier."

"What do I have to give up?" He asked.

"You have to give up two things, Harry. Your virginity and your innocense."

Harry frowned in thought. He didn't mind giving up his virginity. It was not

something he was happy to have, to tell the truth. But wouldn't he be giving up his

innocence if he gave up his virginity too? He asked her.

"No," she said. "I don't mean that innocence. I mean another kind."

"What kind?" Asked Harry.

The girl frowned at him. "It's too soon to tell you. But when the time is right,

I promise I'll let you know."

Harry looked at her in seriousness. "If you don't tell me now, how can I choose

you?"

"I'm afraid you're going to have to make that choice before I tell you," she said.

"When do I have to make this choice?"

"Before the Christmas Holidays. You'll be seeing me soon. And when we meet,

you can tell me your choice."

Suddenly, the girl leaned over to kiss him and like before, Harry felt her tongue

reach into his mouth.

He pulled away from her suddenly. "No!" He shouted. "Go away! If you won't tell

me you can't come back and tempt me anymore!"

"Harry! Harry! Wake up!"

Harry blinked his eyes. He saw he was in the camp bed in Ron's rooms and not

in his own room back on Privet Drive.

"Wha…what is it?" Asked Harry, looking over at Ron. Sunlight was just coming

through the windows.

"You were shouting," said Ron. "Were you having another nightmare?"

Harry suddenly remembered his dream and where it had been about to go. He

also remembered that he was going to talk to Ron about this and see if he could come

up with any advice.

"Ron," he said, sitting up in bed and running his hands through his fingers. "I've

got a bit of a problem."

Ron looked over at him, his brows furrowed. "What is it?" He asked.

Harry sighed. "I keep having these dreams about a girl. A…a girl I've never met

before."

"Yeah," said Ron. "And?"

"Well, she keeps saying I've got a choice to make and she wants to tempt me."

Ron's eyes widened. "Tempt you with what?" He asked.

"She wants to give me back my parents and she's also been tempting me with…

well, this is embarrassing…but she's been tempting me with, you know…" And Harry

made a vague gesture towards his privates.

"No, I don't know," said Ron, who looked thoroughly bewildered.

Harry groaned in frustration. "She's been tempting me with stuff that's, well,

erotic."

Ron looked confused for a second more until it finally dawned on him what

Harry was saying. "Oh!" He said. "I see." And then Ron grinned at him.

"Don't smile," said Harry. "It isn't funny."

"So, let me get this straight," said Ron. "You're not really having nightmares,

you're having erotic dreams about a girl who can give you back your parents?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "And she keeps telling me I have to choose her and that

we're going to meet at Hogwarts this year."

Ron shook his head. "I don't see how that's possible," he said. "Unless…"

Harry looked at him. "Unless what?" He asked.

"Unless, she's a succubus."

"A what?" Asked Harry.