Dumbledore was not ill intentioned, Harry decided. He knew the old man well enough to believe that Dumbledore did what seemed best. But that didn't mean that Harry had to agree with his decision and it didn't mean that Harry had to like it. Harry was more than a little mad at Dumbledore. The heart-to-heart in the Headmaster's Office had seemed so sincere and humble but that had not stopped Dumbledore from lying to aid his cause, perhaps at Harry's expense. Harry did not think well when he was angry; he was too emotional. This time, the anger was mixed with betrayal but there was also hope that he wouldn't have to fight Voldemort again. And somewhere under those feelings, there was also the love he had for the Weasleys and Hermione and Remus and Sirius and all the other people in the Order that had been with him a long time, had treated him like family. Harry was in a confusing place: caught between ideals and affections. On the one hand, he could never think of betraying the people he cared about... on the other hand, he was learning that he didn't approve of some of the things that Dumbledore and the Order stood for. If only he could think... but he was angry and all he could do was feel... logic would have to wait.

Harry didn't pay much attention in his classes for the final week. His only success was in apparating from Eyrie's Edge to Brocksett and back. Normally it wouldn't have been possible because of anti-apparition wards but the professor had lent Harry an amulet that the wards recognized and allowed him to pass through. The device was probably impressive and useful magic but Harry couldn't bring himself to care. He was so distracted that he very nearly splinched himself twice and he did miscast once, landing him thirty meters too far and only barely inside the wards in Brocksett. The professor wouldn't or couldn't tell Harry how far it was from Eyrie's Edge to Brocksett but he did assure Harry that the Ministry exam would be no more difficult than that. After school on Friday, the last day for Hogwarts students and the last night before the Hogwarts Express, Harry was invited over to the Black family home for supper but he declined. He was feeling guilty about his time in Eyrie's Edge. It seemed like a betrayal of the people he cared about. Rather than sparking a hatred of Dumbledore, finding out that he didn't know the real prophecy had caused Harry to look at his own actions and thoughts negatively. He found himself looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, to being around people who he knew and trusted. He had a small supper, packed the last of his school things, asked Cedar to wake him up at dawn, and went to sleep thinking that the Hogwarts Express couldn't come soon enough.

//-//-//-//-//-//-

Harry woke up to Aly crooning from a perch on his bedpost. The sun was just peaking over the horizon and the room was still dark. In that light, Aly gave off a warm, comforting glow. Harry smiled and stroked her warm feathers while he read the short letter.

Mr. Potter,

My lord submits that the attacks were part of his war strategy. More than that, I cannot say. I expect you hear that too often for your liking but I hope you will understand.

One last bit of information you may be interested in: we were not able to get one of our people hired for the Defense Professorship. I believe you know the woman who was hired to teach Muggle Studies, however. I must say that I certainly don't approve but Dumbledore is not someone I routinely agree with so that should come as no surprise.

This will be my last letter for a while. Once you are back among your friends, I doubt you'll even notice.

Until next time.

Harry found himself sighing over the promise that the letters and Aly's visits would no longer be a weekly occurrence. He dropped the note on the bedside table and offered Aly his arm. The two then went down to the kitchen where Harry got an apple. No sooner had he found a paring knife than Cedar appeared.

"Master Harry is not fixing breakfast! Cedar is good elf!" she said firmly.

Harry didn't bother with protests after two months with Cedar. He simply handed over the knife and asked her to bring the apple and a bowl of oatmeal to the porch. Then Harry and Aly went to sit on the porch and watch the sunrise. It was peaceful and beautiful and, though Harry knew that he had a better summer than he ever could have had on Privet Drive, the fact that he was enjoying himself as he betrayed his friends made him feel guilty. When Aly finished eating, she sat on Harry's lap and sang softly, apparently in an effort to cheer Harry up. Soon, Harry sent the phoenix home and went inside. He got dressed and finished packing.

When Electra arrived, she frowned at Harry's demeanor and his clothing. The boy was clearly depressed and dressed like the abused teenager he was.

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

"Yeah, fine," he said absently.

She rolled her eyes but he didn't notice. "Let me rephrase the question," she said. "It is obvious that you are not alright so, would you like to share what's bothering you?"

"No," Harry answered.

"OK," Electra said with a sigh. "Then I suppose you wish to leave."

Harry nodded and led the way down the steps and across the lawn. They had to walk to the edge of the wards before they could leave. Luckily, Harry's home was one of the outermost in the town so their walk would be short.

"Before we do, I want you to promise that if you need help, you'll come find Regulus or myself... and don't wait until it's unbearable. I don't want you to get so badly hurt again."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Harry replied.

Electra reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "Harry, 'whatever' is not the answer I'm looking for. We care about you, my husband and I. Regulus wanted to be here too but he suspected you would be feeling badly and he didn't trust himself to let you leave. We wish you didn't have to return to the people who mistreated you but we know that you do so we'll have to settle for making sure that you understand that you can come back here any time you need or want to."

When Harry didn't meet her eyes, she gently raised his chin until he looked at her.

"Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Harry said quietly.

"Then we can leave. Oh, but first, do you know how to cast a Notice-Me-Not on that ring of yours? I don't want you to ever take it off but if Dumbledore sees it, he'll know you have a safe-house somewhere."

Harry looked frightened for a moment, then shook his head.

Electra patted his back gently in a wasted effort to get him to relax. "Get your wand," she said, then waited for him to take it out of his bag. "The spell is Dissimulo Celo. Say it and tap you ring lightly with the tip of your wand."

Harry did as she had instructed and watched as the ring seemed for a moment to sink into his skin before it appeared again. Confused, he looked questioningly at Electra.

"Well done," she said, confusing him further. She smiled. "You should still be able to see it because you cast the spell but the rest of us won't notice anything there."

Harry examined the ring again and shrugged. "Ok. Can we get going now?"

"Yes," she said, wrapping her left arm around Harry's shoulders and gripping her wand with her right. "Stay close. I'm going to apparate us to the edge of Little Whinging."

Before Harry could even nod, Electra had cast the spell and the familiar squeeze of apparition surrounded them as they disappeared from the valley and appeared in a deserted alley in Little Whinging. Harry opened his bag and took out his invisibility cloak.

"We'll see you soon, Harry." She pressed a sealed letter into his hand, then continued. "If Dumbledore demands to know where you went this summer, give him this. It explains that you needed a healer and you found me. It does not mention my surname or my location. You may say that you stayed with me all summer because I was not comfortable returning you to an abusive situation."

"Thank you," Harry said.

Electra hesitated for a moment but then hugged Harry warmly. It made her sad that he seemed confused by it and clearly didn't know how to react to such affections. After a moment, she let him go and stepped back, drew her wand, and disapparated.

As soon as she was gone, Harry felt dangerously alone. He wrapped his cloak around his body and made sure he was completely invisible before leaving the alley and getting his bearings. He began walking at a brisk pace in the direction of Privet Drive. Just as he turned down that street, the Dursleys' car passed him going the other direction. Harry threw up his invisible hands in irritation. He would be locked out and would have to spend the morning in the yard.

For more than an hour, Harry sat invisibly on the front stoop. Then, he took off his invisibility cloak and lay down in the grass to read Headmistress Vablatsky's Divination book (the only one he could reach without taking his trunk out of his magic bag). Two hours later, Harry had finished what had been left to read and returned it to his bag. He then occupied himself with pacing. Finally, he heard the door to the house open and saw the gray head of Remus Lupin peak out and look around warily.

When he saw Harry on the front lawn, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Harry?" he asked.

"Yeah, Prongs Jr. and all that," Harry replied, impatient to prove his identity so Remus would stop looking at him like that.

Remus stepped outside and crossed the lawn to Harry, still looking cautious. "What did Minerva tell Umbridge during your career advice meeting last year?"

"Umm, that she'd help me to become an auror," Harry replied.

Remus relaxed and smiled. "Now what were you doing outside?"

Harry shrugged. "The Dursleys thought if I wasn't inside then you wouldn't have to go in at all."

Remus sighed. "I'm sorry you had to stay with them but it really was the safest place. Anyway, I think you know everyone that came with me today," he said gesturing to the three other Order members that had left the house behind him. "Hestia Jones, Dedalus Diggle, and, though you might not be able to tell, the one that looks like Kingsley Shacklebolt is actually Tonks."

Harry smiled half-heartedly at them before turning back to Remus. "Are we portkeying then?"

Remus nodded and pulled a crushed aluminum can from the pocket of his shabby robes.

Hestia checked her wristwatch and jumped. "We'd best hurry, Remus. Just four seconds left."

Everyone hurried to place a finger on the rubbish. Immediately, the familiar tug behind the navel occurred and Harry was spinning away with the four older wizards and the can. When they landed, they all crashed to the floor and heavy objects fell around them. It took a moment before Harry realized that this was because they had landed in a room of lost luggage at the train station. Harry climbed to a clear space by the door and waited as Hestia, Dedalus, and Remus helped extricate Tonks from the mess. After a few minutes, during which time, Harry briefly entertained the idea of going ahead without them, the Order members finally prepared themselves for the walk to Platform 9 ¾.

Remus insisted on going through the door first and he was followed closely by Hestia. Once they cleared the dark and dusty alley between the lost luggage room and the ticket counter, they motioned for the others to follow and the group made their way out into the station. As they walked towards the platform, Harry felt utterly ridiculous. He didn't need the guard and if he did, they shouldn't have made it so obvious that they were guarding him. He could feel the looks the muggle passengers were giving them, wondering what sort of important person would have such strange bodyguards.

When they finally crossed the barrier and stepped onto the wizards' platform, Harry sighed with relief. At least the people here knew why he had guards and were used to it. He looked around for Ron and Hermione and spotted them right away. He tried to pass Remus to go see them but he was stopped.

"Stay close, Harry," Remus warned.

Harry ground his teeth together but complied.

Remus pushed a small wrapped present into Harry's hand. "Happy Birthday." Then, he led all them towards the Weasleys.

"Hello, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said with a bright smile.

"Hi, Harry," Ginny said at the same time.

"Hey," Harry replied.

"Harry, mate, you made it," Ron said.

"You look good, Harry," Hermione said, looking him over.

"Hermione," Ron cautioned.

Ginny giggled. "Relax, Ron. A girl can look... Hermione won't touch."

"Really, Ron," Hermione assured him.

Mrs. Weasley pulled Harry aside. "Harry, you have your key and supply lists, right?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Actually, I ordered my supplies. I have everything I need. Thanks for offering to help me though," Harry replied.

"Oh," she said. "Professor Dumbledore said you would need... well, no matter. We missed you this summer. I'm glad you look healthy anyways."

Harry just nodded and allowed Mrs. Weasley to push him back towards his friends.

"How was your summer, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"OK. How was yours?"

"It was nice, I guess. I helped Fred and George in their shop. They're doing great. The stuff they can do is amazing. Apparently, Filch has already banned all of their products," Ginny replied with an easy smile.

"What about you Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I spent the first half of the summer on vacation with my parents in France. After that, I stayed with the Weasleys. I had to send Hedwig on to Hogwarts for the summer but Dobby promised to take care of her. I tried to send you a letter but Dumbledore said your wards blocked mail."

Harry scowled. He wasn't pleased that Hedwig had been without human contact all summer. "Oh," he managed to say.

"Yeah," Ron interjected. "Hermione had a great summer," he said sarcastically. "She nagged us about homework the whole time."

"Not the whole time," Hermione protested. "Only until you finished."

"Enough you two. Anyway, Harry, we didn't have much to do, really. I mean, we were stuck inside unless we went with the twins to their shop and we didn't get to go to meetings, you know. You probably know more than we do about what happened this summer," Ginny said, trying to avoid an outburst like Harry had had last year.

Harry didn't say anything, unsure whether to feel annoyed or pleased that his friends were trying to mind his feelings.

After a minute of awkward silence, Hermione hastily changed the subject. "So Harry, how'd you do on OWLs?"

"Fine. I got seven."

"Hermione got eleven," Ron teased.

"That's right," she said loftily.

"I got seven," Ron told Harry.

Harry nodded and smiled weakly. Turning to Remus, he asked, "Can we get on the train yet?"

"Not yet, Harry. Wait another five minutes, at least."

Harry sighed and turned back to his friends.

"Hey, Harry. Why don't you open our presents to you," Ginny suggested, motioning for Hermione to get it from her trunk.

Hermione passed over two parcels. The first proved to be a blank, muggle journal that the girls guaranteed was not enchanted. The second was a bright orange Chudley Cannons hat which was obviously from Ron. The last one, the present from Remus, was the Black family tapestry.

When Harry bowed his head over the last, Ginny put an arm around his waist and Hermione patted his shoulder. He really would have preferred not being touched just then. These girls didn't know the half of what he was feeling and even if they had, he certainly didn't need them hanging all over him in the middle of a train station.

"Starting a harem, Potter?" Harry heard from behind.

"Move along Mr. Malfoy," Remus said threateningly.

Draco Malfoy stuck his nose in the air, sneered at Harry, and kept right on walking down the platform, Crabbe and Goyle in tow and none of their parents anywhere in sight.

He shrugged the girls off and tucked the gifts into his bag.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome," Ginny said. Hermione nodded her acknowledgement and Ron turned back to look at the train.

A bell rang from the direction of the train engine, giving a three-minute warning, and the other students remaining on the platform finished their goodbyes and boarded. When the steam whistle blew, Remus nodded to the teens and the Order guards walked them across the platform to the nearest train car.

"Bye Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry. Behave yourselves, all of you, and don't forget to speak with the Headmaster if you have any concerns," Mrs. Weasley shouted over the noise of the engine.

"Let's get onboard before we miss the train," Hermione said, smiling and saying goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and Professor Lupin before hauling her trunk up the stairs and then stepping up onto the train after it.

Ron followed immediately, shouting "Bye, Mum," over his shoulder.

Ginny hugged her mother and followed after him.

Harry smiled and said goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and to Remus before climbing aboard the train. He hurried to catch up with his friends as they searched for an empty compartment. They eventually found one with only a single first year in it. Harry recognized him from the village school: Hector Pritchard.

"Hi, kid," Ron said, "can we..."

"My name's Hector, not 'kid'," the boy growled.

"He didn't mean anything by it," Hermione explained hurriedly. "Do you mind if we sit here, Hector?"

Hector scowled. "I should go find some other secon...first years. Do what you want in here." Then, Hector left.

"Well then", Hermione said, frowning in the boy's wake.

"Probably a Slytherin," Ron muttered.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry all took seats in the compartment.

"We have to go to the prefects' meeting but we'll be back when it's finished," Hermione told Harry.

"Yeah, OK," Harry replied. He hadn't even realized that Ginny was a prefect until she left with them. Alone in the compartment, he stood and put on his robes, tucking his wand in its pocket for easy access, and then sat back down to watch out the window as the train rolled and rocked on its way north.

While Harry waited for his friends to return, he was visited briefly by Luna, then Neville, then Susan Bones. None stayed long. In fact, it seemed they only wished to say hello and see how Harry was. Harry didn't mind.

Finally, he heard Ron, Hermione, and Ginny coming up the corridor from the front of the train.

"Can you believe Fudge is still Minister?" Hermione was saying when she, Ron, and Ginny returned from the prefect's meeting.

"At least he got rid of those educational decrees," Ron said.

"Yeah, but I mean, the Headmaster's been trying to get someone better but the closest he's come is convincing Amelia Bones to announce her interest..."

"Which she never even did," Ginny added.

"Right. After the assassination attempt, I don't know but I think Professor Dumbledore might have to take the job himself."

"No way," Ron said. "Dumbledore'd never leave Hogwarts."

"Hey guys," Harry interrupted.

"Hey Harry. Is that kid back yet?" Ron asked.

"Hector, Ron. Not kid," Hermione snapped. "And he's obviously not here."

The three prefects sat on the benches and made themselves comfortable.

"So, mate, Dumbledore said you might want to practice occlumency with me, now that I can do it."

Harry scowled. "I don't think so. I'm rather hopeless anyways." He did not want Ron's help.

"Nonsense, Harry," Hermione said. "Practice makes perfect, you know."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "I didn't get it at first, and man do I know what you mean about Snape. When he started using my fear of spiders, searching for them in my memories... you can believe I got him out of there as quick as I could."

"Did you?" Harry asked without emotion.

"Hey mate, I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

"Ron, we should really take our turn patrolling the corridors," Hermione said, attempting to spare Harry Ron's tactless boasts.

"We've got another ten minutes, Hermione," Ginny said, moving a bit closer to Harry.

Harry looked at Ginny for a moment, confused, then turned back to Ron and Hermione and changed the subject. "How's your family, Ron?"

"Oh, fine. Bill's engaged to Fleur Delacour now and the way Mum carries on, you'd think he'd chosen a goblin."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You're just as bad but that's only because you're jealous. Anyway, you know the twins are doing well with their shop. And Charlie's coming home. He's part of a team that the Romanians are sponsoring so Charlie's going to split his time between the Welsh Green preserve and the Hebridean Black preserve."

"He's studying mate choice and selective breeding," Hermione interrupted excitedly. "It must be fascinating."

"Yeah, sure. About as interesting as cauldron bottom thickness," Ron said.

Hermione huffed at him and turned up her nose.

"Oh yeah," Ginny said, less enthusiastically. "And then there's Percy who's still a great git."

"He hasn't apologized to your parents yet?" Harry asked.

"No," Ginny replied.

Harry wondered if Percy was the Prewett relative that wanted to rent the house in Eyrie's Edge.

There was a knock on the compartment door. "Granger, Weasleys, it's your turn in the corridors," someone called.

All three of them stood. "We'll be back soon, Harry," Hermione said as they left.

Harry sighed and returned to looking out the window.

They returned when the announcement was made about getting dressed and preparing to disembark. They already wore their robes but they all got their hats and Hermione tucked a book under her arm in case she wanted to read at any time between then and the return to Gryffindor Tower for the night. As soon as the train stopped, they piled out of the compartment and joined the queue at the car door.

Harry climbed down off the train, following Ron, Hermione, and Ginny as they left Hogsmeade station and searched out the line of waiting carriages. He nearly ran into them when they stopped suddenly to stare.

"They really aren't horse-less," Hermione whispered.

Harry cringed. It was Sirius' death they had seen. He put and hand on Hermione's shoulder and pushed her gently forward. "Let's get a carriage," he said.

She tore her eyes away from the thestrals and nodded.

The ride up the hill to Hogwarts was a silent one. When they finally reached Hogwarts, they gave the thestrals one sad look over their shoulder and went inside. "That's war, I suppose," Hermione muttered.

As Harry crossed the threshold of the Great Hall, he heard the cheerful Dumbledore stand and address him. "Ah, Harry!"

The old man turned to the professor on his right. "Pomona, we'll just be a minute."

Turning back to Harry, he continued. "Right this way, my boy," he said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and steering him along the wall to a side door. When they stood in a moonlit courtyard with the door to the Hall closed behind them, Dumbledore said, "Harry, I'm pleased to see you looking so healthy and happy. I knew you could work out your problems with your family. I'm proud of you."

Harry bowed his head to keep Dumbledore from seeing his scowling face. That man had some nerve calling the abuse 'your problems.' Harry almost took Electra's letter out to give to Dumbledore but he stopped himself. It seemed that Dumbledore didn't know about how Harry had spent his summer so there was no reason to fill him in.

When it became clear that Harry had nothing to say, Dumbledore continued. "We should get back inside before the Sorting starts but I want you to know that you can come talk to me any time, about anything."

Harry nodded. "OK." Privately, he was scoffing at the idea. His trust of the old man was at an all-time low since the prophecy deception had come to light.

"Excellent," Dumbledore said, opening the door and leading Harry back inside. But just before Harry broke away to go to the Gryffindor table, Dumbledore stopped him.

"Oh, Harry, what evening would be good for you to study the animagus spell with Professor McGonagall?"

Harry frowned. What could he answer? "Umm... I think... I mean, maybe... I think I want to wait and see how difficult my classes are before I start any extra lessons."

"I'm sure you won't have any trouble."

"I still think I shouldn't be adding work when I don't know how much I'll already have," he said, hoping Dumbledore would accept his excuse.

"Well, alright. When you change your mind," he said with a smile, "just let Professor McGonagall or myself know and we'll make the arrangements."

"I will," Harry replied. "Can I go find Ron and Hermione now?"

"Yes, my boy. Run along."

Harry had already turned away and started walking. He only relaxed once he was seated comfortably beside Hermione.

"I can't believe Dumbledore chose Trelawney over Firenze," Hermione was complaining.

"What do you care?" Ron asked. "You're not even in Divination.

"Neither are you if you don't want to be," Hermione snapped. "I care because Hogwarts is the best school of magic in Europe and it should have the best professors."

Harry looked along the head table for unfamiliar faces. Hagrid was there, having already brought the first years across the lake. McGonagall would be with them now. Firenze was indeed absent and Trelawney looked better than she had at the Leaving Feast the previous year. There were two new faces, an unknown witch and Mrs. Figg. Harry assumed one of them must be the Defense professor and did a quick assessment to see who else was missing. He realized that the old Muggle Studies professor was gone, Barrett or Bennett or something.

The Sorting Hat began its song and Harry was distracted from his thoughts. As in the previous year, the hat warned the houses to stand together. It begged them to learn from each other and help each other. Harry wondered for the first time how sentient the hat was and how much it did besides sorting first years. Harry was lost in thought as the eleven-year-olds were sorted. He clapped whenever he saw Ron do the same but his mind was elsewhere.

Eventually, he heard Dumbledore introducing the new faculty and brought his mind back to the present.

"Welcome, everyone, to another promising year at Hogwarts. I would like to introduce two new members of the staff. Professor Figg, who will be teaching Muggle Studies," he paused to allow Arabella Figg her meager applause, then continued. "And Professor Burke, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Harry was surprised to see his old babysitter, a squib, at the head table but he supposed that a squib was probably highly qualified to teach Muggle Studies, having grown up in the wizarding world and then had to learn to live in the Muggle world.

After another moment of faint applause, Dumbledore said, "And now, let's eat."

Food appeared and everyone occupied themselves with eating and a bit of chatting.

After supper, Dumbledore made his usual speech regarding rules, including a new, stricter curfew and a pair of regulations about being accompanied by a professor whenever outside after dark or beyond the castle grounds at any time, including Hogsmeade weekends.

When they were finally released to head to their dorms, Harry was quite pleased to escape to the comfort of Gryffindor Tower. He unpacked his bag and got ready for bed. He was the first into bed but the last to fall asleep. The Tower was much louder and more crowded than he remembered.