Ten minutes later saw the six of them stood at the great door, and two minutes after that they were all making their way up to Dumbledore's study, each with a mouthful of out-of-season Christmas cake that had suddenly appeared floating on plates in front of them. Harry ate his with relish. He hadn't realised just how hungry he was.
Sirius strode forwards and knocked on Dumbledore's door.
"Headmaster?" he called. The door swung open, and there was Dumbledore, sitting at his desk behind a large pile of books scattered with crumbs and a slice of Christmas cake in his hand.
"Come in, come in," he called jovially. "And do sit down." He waved his wand at the space in front of him, and all of a sudden six identical rocking chairs were placed neatly in two rows. Harry, Ron and Hermione sunk gladly into the back three.
"Ah, Harry," said Dumbledore, peering at him over the top of his half-moon glasses. "How nice to see you. How nice to see all of you – I hope your trip was… uneventful?" From the twinkle in his eye, Harry guessed that Dumbledore had at least some knowledge of their disastrous journey: but the Headmaster's grin had disappeared before it customarily did, and he leaned forwards on his desk, fingers lacing together, looking at them seriously.
"I know some of you, at least," he said, glancing at Harry, Ron and Hermione, "Will be wondering why I've called you here and cut short your holiday. I regret to say that it couldn't be helped. Now – " he brushed some crumbs from his beard impatiently – "The reason is simple. Voldemort has returned – quicker than any of us had anticipated – quicker than we would have thought possible – and before we have had the time to assemble the Order of the Phoenix. I cannot do this without the aid of Severus, Sirius and Remus – ah, I see you've had the time to build up a somewhat better relationship over the last few days – " the twinkle was back in his eye – "and, of course, as it is Harry that Voldemort is after, he cannot be left alone." Dumbledore offered Harry a small, but genuine smile.
"I believe some explanations are in order," he went on. "Sirius, you read my note: I ought to tell Harry, Ron and Hermione what exactly happened, however… I shall try to be brief.
"I approved of you all staying with Sirius for the holidays," he said. "As I believed no harm would come from it. And I'm sure it came as a relief to you, Harry, to be able to have an enjoyable summer holiday for once. But then news reached me of Voldemort's rising: news that would undoubtedly affect you if you were left alone. So I sent Remus to you with a letter, deciding I had better not trust such important information to an owl – and then, thinking that it may not have been safe for him to travel alone and with a full moon approaching, I sent Severus after him. I trust you found each other all right?" he added tranquilly.
"He found him," said Sirius, shortly, before Lupin was given a chance to reply, and Snape shot him a venomous glance.
"Well, well," carried on Dumbledore, ignoring the small interchange. "I'm glad. So: I asked you to come here immediately, and now here you are." He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"I can see you are still confused," he continued. "And with good reason. I asked Sirius not to tell you what was happening, Harry, simply because – as I'm sure you will have guessed – I wanted to tell you myself. I want you to understand that I do trust you to look after yourself – but you must realise that at the moment, with Voldemort stronger than he has been since that day he foolishly attempted to kill you, we are all under direct threat – and you most of all. So do not go anywhere alone, Harry. Don't wander off on one of your interesting midnight rambles – " He grinned as Harry started guiltily and Snape favoured him with a glare – "At least, not without at the very least Mr Weasley and Miss Granger to accompany you. I don't think that Voldemort will dare attack Hogwarts yet: but we shall see, we shall see. Oh, by the way; your mother, Ron, has forwarded all your school equipment you'll need for next term here… You'll find it all upstairs in your dormitories. Now," he clapped his hands together as if everything were resolved, "I imagine you are all hungry. Let us go downstairs, and see what there is to be eaten."
Harry traipsed back downstairs as if in a dream. There had to be more to it than that: something Dumbledore had missed out. They had all known that Voldemort had risen again – true, not to the extent Dumbledore was suggesting, but all the same… Still puzzling, he walked with Ron and Hermione into the hall where a table was laid out for eleven people. There, to his delight, he saw Hagrid sitting at one of the seats – along with Filch, the caretaker, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey, the school's matron – and they spent the entire of the meal talking with him, all doubts and worries forgotten. After they'd eaten, they went with Hagrid down to his little gamekeeper's house, and he made them tea.
"So," he boomed. "Sounds like yeh've been in a mite o' trouble, 'arry. Tell me," he suddenly leant forwards over the table at Ron who, taken by surprise, didn't manage to move his head in time, collided with Hagrid, and sat there stunned for a moment. Hagrid however didn't seem to notice. "Tell me – what were the Selkie like? Ah've always wanted to see one…"
Hagrid's voice took on the wistful tone it always did when he talked of creatures most people considered a menace and he considered potential pets. Ron, still blinking, didn't reply for a while.
"I don't think you'd have liked it," he said eventually. "Besides, it wasn't a Selkie, it was a – a – a what was it, Harry?"
"A Brollachan," said Harry, and changed the subject before Ron got upset. "So… how've things been at Hogwarts, Hagrid?"
Hagrid, sufficiently diverted, launched into an account of everything that had happened in their absence, and Harry and the others snuggled up in his enormous armchairs and snoozed, feeling more relaxed than they had done for a long time. Hagrid woke them up at eleven, and guided them through the dark back to the main castle: he took his role of protector seriously, and Harry was grateful to him for it. As he curled up in his bed in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, the familiar warmth stealing over him, he decided dozily that even if Voldemort was after him, it was worth it, just for this.