A/N: I was hoping to get this chapter out sooner, but we were watching Austin Powers in the spare time before our school's sponsored walk, and I got distracted...

I hope that you like it! Once again, this chapter has quite a bit of dialogue in it...

Chapter 6
Wisdom Imparted

It was late when Dumbledore finally arrived at the Black House. By this time the heavens had opened, drenching anybody foolish enough to leave their home without some form of protection. Walking up the gravel pathway of 12 Grimmauld place, the old wizard was deep in thought, wondering about the content of the letter he had received and, more importantly, what it all meant.

… A bluish light… a horrific creation… come quick…

A bluish light, Arthur had said, and then there was the blonde boy, Ed… Dumbledore had a pretty good idea what was going on and, deep in his heart, he was most certainly worried.

Entering the lavish, but now decrepit, house, Dumbledore did not make his presence immediately known. Instead, he silently made his way up to the first floor of the building; heading in a beeline to the room in which he knew their guest was staying. Softly opening the old, wooden, door, he saw the sleeping figure of the blonde.

He most definitely does look like him…

Quietly closing the door, he moved down the hallway and looked in the boy's previous room. A few seconds later, he made his way back down the stairs and went in the direction of the kitchen, a small frown darkening his usually cheerful face.

The kitchen was warm, but the atmosphere tense. Everybody was sat around the table; the youngest at the one end, the older at the other and Dumbledore at the head. He observed them quietly for a few minutes, the familiar sparkle once again in his eyes, before speaking.

"This most certainly is an interesting situation." They all nodded their heads in agreement. "You say," he said, aiming this question at Harry, "that there was a bluish light?"

"Yes, professor…." He replied, before asking nervously, "Do you know what's going on?"

"I'm afraid not, young Harry," he replied, his twinkling eyes betraying nothing as to what was going on in his head.

"Well then, if you of all people don't know, what on earth are we supposed to do?" Sirius interrupted irritably. "I don't want that boy to remain here if he's a threat to our safety." Harry stared at his Godfather in shock, before exclaiming angrily,

"What?! You're just gonna kick him out like that? We don't even know what he's done wrong! I can't believe-"

"Settle down, Harry." Dumbledore cut him off in the middle of his tirade. "Nothing like that is going to happen." Everybody in the room looked at him quizzically.

"Young Ed is going to join you all at Hogwarts this year." Their mouths dropped open in surprise.

"You mean…" Hermione began, "that Ed isn't a muggle?"

"It seems highly likely and, if that is the case, then it is only right that he attends a school of witchcraft and wizardry." Dumbledore explained simply, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

And maybe, just maybe, we'll find out how he got here, and why…

"I guess that means he'll be taking a trip to Diagon Alley with us, then." Mrs Weasley commented matter-of-factly. Dumbledore nodded, giving no indication of the fact that, at the time, he'd been deep in thought.

"Don't worry about money, Molly. I will send you some from the school fund. Just get him what he requires." She nodded.

"He can also have some of the children's old school books, in case he needs to catch up on anything." She began to sort out what would happen with Ed, who would, when at school, be sorted into the appropriate house.

And year, if we ever find out how old he is…

But how did you find something like that out, when the person in question refused to speak?

After saying his farewells, Dumbledore exited the kitchen and strode along the hallway, preparing a charm to prevent the rain soaking him. Humming quietly to himself, he twisted the doorknob and departed the building.

He hadn't seen the young, blonde haired boy, watching him from the first floor landing.

It was very late that night by the time that Harry finally escaped from downstairs and made his way up to his bedroom. Quietly opening the door of his room, he slipped out of his clothes and changed into his pyjamas. Leaving his glasses on his bedside cabinet, he wriggled under his duvet and waited, rather impatiently, for Ron. He was desperate to talk to someone about that sudden change in events and, at this time of night, Ron was the only person he could chat to without being reprimanded by Mrs Weasley and, even then, it had to be done quietly.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Ron was ushered into the room by a tired and flustered Mrs Weasley. Raising an eyebrow at the red-haired youth, Harry awaited an explanation.

"… I was talking to Hermione and lost track of time." He told Harry, sounding rather embarrassed. He smirked.

"Sure you were just talking?" If I hadn't have been so dark, Harry would have seen his friend's face go a deep shade of scarlet. Getting into his own bed, Ron took a huge gulp of water from the glass next to him, only to cough it all back up again when Harry threw a rolled up sock at his head. Quickly changing the subject, Ron commented on what Dumbledore had said.

"So, Ed's coming to Hogwarts, then." He said, shock still apparent in his voice. Then, "What do you think Dumbledore knows about all of this?"

"A lot more than he's letting on," Harry replied simply. It was too dark to see, but Harry knew that his best friend was nodding his head in agreement.

"Yeah… I guess that mean's he coming to Diagon Alley too. That's gonna be fun." He said this last part sarcastically. Ed hadn't left that house since Harry had found him; they all knew what he was like around strangers.

Ron grunted, before rolling over onto his side. After a few minutes of silence, Harry could hear a faint snoring coming from the other side of the room. Sighing deeply, he tried to make himself comfortable enough to fall asleep, but he knew it was hopeless.

Staring blankly into the darkness, he was left to his thoughts.

A/N: So, what d'yall think? Hmm... I wonder what's going on between Ron and Hermione... :D