Chapter 10 – Home again

A/N: here we all are again. Not much to say. Enjoy.

Kinda forgot what song I put in the last chapter. Maybe I didn't put one in. Oh well.

Chapter 10 – Home again

Harry hadn't told Tonks about the dream. He barely remembered it himself. Along with the normal physical and spell combat training he did every day, He spent an hour a day learning apparating and most of the other time reading his new books on sword styles Dumbledore gave him and the defence and offence books Remus gave him as well as practising the new sword styles and spending time with Tonks. He also read through the book that Tonks gave him. It was interesting to read and helped a bit whenever he felt a bit down.

Tonks often disappeared for a few hours each week. Harry assumed this was part of her 'big plan'. It took Harry a week before he could apparate successfully and from then on, spent most of the time making it faster and quieter. He set himself the task of apparating right behind Tonks and then tap her on the shoulder before apparating away again before she turned around.

The month went by too quickly in Harry's opinion. He was enjoying his time spent with Tonks. She was fun to be with. He knew that she had worked out a way to keep them together but as the Hogwarts day approached, he began to have his own private doubts that didn't want to leave him. On the upside he was able to achieve his private task a week before he went to Hogwarts. He could apparate almost silently now. Much to Tonks' constant annoyance.

Harry had also virtually mastered three of the sword styles in the book. He hoped he could use the room of requirement to help with targets that move and fight back. The last couple of days of summer Harry spent packing and

And so, Harry found himself standing outside the barrier to Platform 9 ¾.

"Now, don't you dare get sad because I'm not on the train with you. I told you I'd be at Hogwarts and I will." Tonks said to him. She tilted her head to the side. "It's not gonna' be the same, not waking up next to you."

Harry smiled back at her. "I'm gonna' miss it too. Are we even going to be able to do anything at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. And not just secretly either if my plan works out."

"Is this the plan that you don't want me to know about yet?" Harry smiled.

"The same one. Think of it more as a test on your part." Tonks answered, "Now go on, get through that barrier. I'll be waiting at the school for you." Tonks gave Harry a quick peck and pushed him off towards the barrier.

Harry pushed through the crowd on the other side of the barrier. He soon spotted Ron and Hermione standing with their bags.

"Hey Ron, Hey Hermione." Harry said as he stopped in front of them.

"Hey Harry." They both answered

"Good Holiday?" He asked.

"Yeah. It was O.K." Was the basic response from both of them.

"Hey Harry." The voice of Ginny made Harry spin around. "Did you eat any of my chocolates?" Ginny asked, trying not to look confused.

"Yeah, I did. Thanks. I love toffee."

"Um, no problem." Ginny said. Now she really was confused. 'Dammit. What happened? Harry's supposed to be in love with me. Toffee? I didn't put toffee in.' seeing that Ginny was caught up in her own little debate, Harry, Ron and Hermione made there way onto the train. They found an empty carriage in the train and sat down. Harry was opposite Ron and Hermione. They started to talk about the upcoming lessons.

"Who do you think the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher will be?" Ron asked while he fumbled around with a Rubik's cube he had been given a while ago.

"No idea." Harry said.

Ginny and Luna came in. Ginny sat down next to Harry with Luna sitting beside her. Neville came in as well just before the train left and sat next to Ron. Harry sat looking out at the countryside, feeling the vibrations on the glass. Ginny started to talk to him.

"So Harry. Looking for a girlfriend yet?"

"What?" Harry looked up at her, confused for a moment.

"Well, in Diagon Alley you said you weren't looking for a girlfriend. Are you looking for one yet?"

"No. I'm not." Harry said in a monotone.

"Oh."

Ginny turned away and started to talk to Luna, trying to pretend that the conversation hadn't just happened.

The others sat in silence for a while before Hermione to fake an interest in the upcoming Quidditch league at school.

"So, Harry. I hear you're the captain this year, then. Any ideas for who you want on the team?"

"To be honest, Hermione. I haven't given it much thought." Harry said, drawing his attention away from the window and shrugging his shoulders. "I suppose I'll just organize some tryouts and see who the best for each position is."

"Hey." Ron yelled out all of a sudden. "Am I still on the team?"

"Yes." Harry stated. Unless you think there is someone better?"

"Me? Never."

"Alright then, I guess you are."

"Why would you think there was someone better?"

"What? I didn't."

"You implied it." Ron said indignantly.

"Just drop it Ron." Harry said. Ron did but still looked a bit moody.

Each of them grabbed there trunks shortly after the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. They made their ways up to the carriages that pulled everyone up to the castle. Harry was too sullen to even notice what was going on around him. He soon found himself sitting at the Gryffindor table, between Ron and Hermione. He had become quite down when he realized that he couldn't see Tonks anywhere.

After the sorting, Dumbledore stood up from his seat at the end of the great hall and motioned for quiet.

"Greetings one and all. First a great welcome to the first years. And a welcome back to our older students. I remind you again to stay away from the forbidden forest. This warning is for the first years as well. It is forbidden for a reason. Second, Our caretaker Argus Filch would like to remind you that magic is not to be used in the corridors and any items found to be supplied by the store ' Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' will be confiscated indefinitely and will lead to a detention for any who carry them.

"Next, I would like to welcome the new teacher for Defence Against The Dark Arts, Professor Ridcully. He will be teaching all years. All other teaching positions will remain the same as last year.

"Lastly, I'm sure that many of you, especially those in Gryffindor, will be wondering about the appearance of a new sixth year. We have been joined this year by Miss Dora Wright. She is an exchange student from one of the magical schools in America and has come to experience schooling here at Hogwarts. She has been pre-sorted into Gryffindor. I wish you all the best during your stay Miss Wright." Harry looked down the table a bit. Sure enough, an unknown face was sitting there. She had long, straight brown hair and a perfectly crafted face. Dumbledore finished off his speech quickly, "I'm sure you are all very hungry so I shall allow you to eat."

As Dumbledore finished, the table filled with food. Harry spent most of the meal pushing peas around a mashed potato fort with a chicken bone flag. He had all but forgotten about Tonks' reassurance that she would be there and felt very down. During the course of the meal, Ron leaned over to Harry.

"Dibs on asking out the new girl first." Ron whispered. Harry only nodded and went back to reinforcing his forts northern wall. The main course eventually disappeared and was replaced by dessert.

"Ooh! I love jelly!" The shout came from down the end of the table. From the new girl, Dora, who was now blushing furiously and scooping a vast amount of jelly into her bowl, her head held down. Harry cringed. The new girl reminded him too much of Tonks. Harry helped himself to some Banofee pie before everything disappeared.

The students piled their ways out of the great hall and made their ways towards their common rooms. Harry sat down in his usual seat by the fire and watched Ron walk rather confidently over to Dora. He was going to enjoy this, he decided.

"Hi there, Dora. I'm Ron."

"Um, Hi." Dora said, not paying too much attention.

"Yeah, well. I just thought, maybe you. I mean. We. Um, I could maybe show you around the school for a couple of days, maybe?"

Dora turned to face Ron. "I appreciate it really. But I think I can find my own way around." Ron opened his mouth to speak again but was cut off. "And before you ask, I'm not really looking for a boyfriend at the moment."

"Oh. Alright then." Ron trudged over to Harry and sat down on a sofa. "She's all yours mate." Ron said, glumly. "Hard one to crack she is. Didn't bat an eyelid at me. Though she's probably perfect for you. She isn't looking to go out with someone, either"

"Or maybe it's just that you have no skill with women." Both the boys looked up at the slightly annoyed face of Hermione who took a seat next to Ron and curled her feet up on the sofa. "Honestly, you two. Have you no respect for women?"

"Hey. Don't blame me. I didn't do anything." Harry said, putting his hands behind his head. He didn't like it when the other two argued but he couldn't really do much about it and wasn't planning to try. He let his mind wander to Ron's recent failure. Dora seemed very familiar. He couldn't quite place his finger on it though. He needed a quieter place to think about it. Maybe he could visit the room of requirements later. The room. He remembered about using it to train his sword skills. Moving targets would be good. Or maybe some that fought back and gave him a challenge. Yes. Training in that room could be quite enjoyable.

Harry let a small smile creep on to his face even throughout his friends bickering. Slowly the common room emptied apart from the new girl Dora, Harry, Ron and Hermione. Soon Ron and Hermione had left and gone off to sleep. Harry had gotten up to leave a little bit after he realized that the fire had gone out. He said a rather shortened good night to Dora who just nodded and carried on writing on something. Harry went up the stairs and into his dorm. He moved towards his bed, got changed and went to sleep. Half an hour later, Dora finished writing and made her way up to the girls' dorm. She found the bed with her trunk next to it and climbed in.

A/N: Re-done along with chapter 9. It's slightly the same. Hopefully an improvement on the last version in some way.

Till next time.

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