Weeeeeeeell, since you guys have been complaining that you want longer chapters and last chapter was supposed to be extra long, I decided to be nice and give you ANOTHER CHAPTER. I would still like a lot of reviews but in celebration of 200 reviews here ya go!

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A week later Harry finally left the infirmary. He practically skipped out the door and ran down the stairs to the front doors where he threw open the doors and hollered in glee as he felt the sun strike his cheeks. Aileen followed close behind and laughed along with him.

The other seven came out in a rush barely a minute later, panting from the brief run. Hermione yelled breathlessly to Harry, "Wait up!" before she again began sprinting.

Harry was already halfway down to their tree by the lake by the time the others caught up with him. They finished the run together and flopped on the ground near to the tree.

Hannah rolled on her back and looked up at the tree. "You know," she said, "I wonder what type of tree this is."

Neville sat up and plucked a leaf from a low hanging branch. He studied it closely, then shrugged. "Herbology hasn't covered trees yet, mundane or magical. Can't help you, sorry."

"It's not an oak, because it doesn't drop acorns in the fall. And it's not a birch, because the bark isn't white and black streaked. Also it isn't a fir because it lost its leaves in the winter." Hermione ticked off the three things on her fingers, lazily staring at the tree.

"Instead of saying what it isn't let's say what it is," Daphne said crossly. "I'm in no mood for 'nots' and 'don'ts'."

"Later," Harry said lazily, plucking a long strand of grass and putting it between his teeth. He began chewing on it, reminding Aileen of a regular American farmer.

Draco sat up and scooted backwards until he was propped up against the tree base, ignoring the grass stains on his freshly laundered robe. The others joined him in sitting upright until they were in a circle.

"So, d'you think he's gone?" Susan asked quietly.

No one had to ask who 'he' was.

"No," Harry said. "I don't believe for a moment that he's gone. I think he's still out there, just waiting." An involuntary shiver went through the group.

"Well, if he's out there, there's no use in worrying ourselves about it, Daphne said briskly. "He'll come when he comes, and there's little we can do to stop him."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"In the meantime, then..." Harry got a mischievous smile on his face as he kicked off his shoes and socks and rolled up his pantlegs.

"Harry Potter, don't you DARE-" Hermione's words were cut off by her shriek as Harry ran to the lake and splashed her with the spring water.

What followed was an all-out, no-holds-barred water fight. The boys teamed up against the girls, with the girls quicker than the guys but the boys able to team up to throw a girl out into the middle of the lake. Aileen watched and laughed heartily as she watched them play in the lake.

"You should laugh more often, gorgeous," a male voice said from behind her.

Aileen crossed her arms and turned around. "Yes, Thaddeus? Is there something you'd like to say to me?"

"Nothing, pretty lady, nothing at all." Thaddeus gave her an exaggerated bow.

Aileen sighed. "Then leave me alone. Focus on your own charge," she said, and gestured to the lake. Hermione had been picked up by Harry and Seamus, who were yelling "Three! Two! One!" They then threw her as far as their combined 11-year-old strength would allow.

Thaddeus sighed from behind her. "And please keep your own from putting her in unnecessary danger."

Stung, Aileen cried, "It isn't my fault she would follow him to the end of the earth!"

"No, it isn't. But if he wouldn't go getting in such situations, then maybe she wouldn't go as well."

Aileen sighed. "You might as well try to spin the earth around the other way. No matter what I do, he will never stop going dangerous places."

"As I recall, you haven't tried." Thaddeus walked to stand next to her.

"Look, leave me alone. I won't say anything about Hermione if you won't say anything about Harry."

"Deal," Thaddeus said.

She said "Thanks" with the barest of nods and smiles.

There was silence for a few minutes. Then Thaddeus asked, "So, how long have you been his Guardian Angel?"

"Ever since a year or so after Voldemort tried to kill him as a child," she said, curt and fast. "And you?"

"Since she was about four or five," Thaddeus said softly. "It was in school when things began to go downhill. She came home after the first month was over and begged her parents to school her at home. Unfortunately, I don't think that's entirely legal in Britain, and her parents were always busy with their dental practice, so she had to keep going to public school."

Aileen nodded; she had gathered something like that had happened after the talk in the dungeons. "Harry... his relatives despised him. They made him do every single chore in the house, and started beating him when at five he burnt their bacon. He got scraps for the longest time before the school nurse expressed a concern as to his health. And when he was six he almost died. That's how he knows I am here."

Thaddeus' eyebrow shot up when he heard about the last fact. "He almost DIED?" he asked, looking astounded.

Aileen nodded silently. Quietly she turned and walked down to the lake, where she drifted to the ground and sat, sticking her toes in the water and leaning back to face the sun.

To her surprise, Harry wandered out of the water to sit right next to her. He copied her pose almost exactly. She laughed and leaned on her left hand to stroke his head.

Her smile faded slowly as she played with his hair. She had heard from God, and He had told her that someone would be there for Harry to go with. Unfortunately, God had told her not to tell Harry, and His Word was the Law. She would stay quiet; but it would be hard.

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Aaaaaand the betting pool as to who takes Harry opens. Anyone? ;)