--- Chapter 6: Reunion ---

Harrys feet slammed into the ground and he looked around. He was standing on the hill outside the shrieking shack. "Harry," said Artemis uncertainly, "we are in Hogsmead, aren't we?" "Yes," said Harry. "I know exactly where we are, we just have to walk down this hill, and walk through Hogsmead which is at the bottom and Hogwarts is up the road a little further." Harry and Artemis tramped down the hill and walked through Hogsmead together. Harry noticed that Hogsmead was quieter than he had ever seen it before, even with the absence of students. The sun was setting.. it was Friday evening U.K. time.. different timezone. Kindof weird, Harry thought, to just get up in the morning and go straight to a place where people are winding down their activities for the day. After about 15 minutes they reached the Hogwarts grounds and walked in. Harry could see that Artemis was clearly impressed by the castle when it came into view. "Yes.. this is more like it. The original school I went to was a castle too.. smaller scale of course though..," his voice trailed off.

Harry and Artemis walked up the steps and opened the front door. Artemis gasped as he stepped into the entrance hall and looked up at the moving staircases. "This is quite.. impressive," he said in awe, "Now, Harry, do you know where to find Dumbledore?" Harry nodded and Artemis followed him up the stone staircases and down the corridor until they where right outside the stone gargoyle. "Uhh," Harry said. "Fizzing Wizzbees?" "Don't you know the password then?" Artemis asked. "No, but it's always a type of sweet," Harry said. "Liquorice Wands?" Harry tried again. "Chocolate Frogs?" Artemis tried. The gargoyle stepped aside. "Well really!" said Harry surprised, "I would have thought that would have been one of the first passwords he would have gone though." "Maybe he wants you to find him," replied Artemis.

After arriving at the top of the moving stairs to Dumbledores office door, Harry knocked on the door. "Come in," said Dumbledores voice from the other side. Harry opened the door and went in with Artemis who shut the door behind him. Dumbledore was standing behind his desk beaming at them both. Then he took on a more serious expression and said to Harry, "I really thought we had lost you for good, Harry."

Dumbledore indicated for them to sit down and they both pulled chairs up to his desk and sat down in them. "I'm so glad you found him Artemis, I dread to think what would have happened if he hadn't been found" "It was actually my daughter Trinity, who found him, she had a vision of him lying in the lane, and was sufficiently convinced by it that she went out to check if he was really there," Artemis explained. "Harry," said Dumbledore, peering over his glasses at Harry, giving him a meaningful stare, "Can you tell me what happened when you where kidnapped from the mall?." Harry didn't find it as hard to explain what had happened as it had been explaining what had happened at the Triwizard cup at the end of last term, but when he got to the bit about Voldemort snapping his wand in half, he found it hard to carry on. "He snapped your wand in half?" asked Dumbledore sharply, blue eyes blazing. Harry could only nod. A lead weight had suddenly surfaced in his throat, that he had been struggling to keep down ever since he had held Mikes wand and realized that any other wand would probably never do. "Have you still got the pieces?" Dumbledore asked again. Harry shook his head, and then found the words, "He threw the pieces in the fire, and they were destroyed."

"I see," was all Dumbledore seemed to be able to say. Then, "As you know, your wand was a brother wand to Voldemorts wand, so you would never have been able to harm Voldemort using it if you were dueling at the same time again, which may happen, so perhaps it is for the best," Dumbledore said. "But if I use another wand, that means that he will be able to harm me," said Harry. "That is true," said Dumbledore, and after a pause, "but you are growing up fast, Harry, if he attacks you again you will be better prepared than most wizards twice your age. You may soon be capable of injuring him worse than you think." "I'll never find another wand," said Harry. Harry could tell Dumbledore was also worried by this by the way his blue eyes where staring at Harry over his glasses, "I'm sure Mr Ollivander will have one somewhere for you. He wrote to me at the time telling me that you had held nearly every wand in his shop. But it's been 4 years since then... Professor Trelawney I'm sure would tell you that fate plays a part in all our lives, and there is a chance that there is now a wand out there for you somewhere." Harry stared at Dumbledore. Surely he was joking that he believed in what that old loony Trelawney said about the fates. But no, he seemed quite serious. "Perhaps Harry could carry on with the rest of his story now? There is still quite a bit to go, and I would like a private word with you afterwards?" Artemis put in politely. "Yes, yes, of course," said Dumbledore, "Carry on, Harry." So Harry told Dumbledore all about how Voldemort had tortured him with a never-ending Cruciatus curse, and how he must have disapperated all the way to New Zealand, since it was the only place he could think about at the time. "That's about it then," said Harry stopping. "Yes," said Dumbledore, "Mr Cloric here, told me how they had found and treated you in the letter he sent me. You are a very lucky boy Harry," he said, looking solemnly at Harry over his glasses. "Mr Cloric made up a spare potion for Nevilles parents," said Harry, handing the potion over the desk to Dumbledore, who took it looking mildly impressed. "Perhaps whist I have a word with Mr Cloric here, you would like to go down to the kitchens and get the house-elves to make you some dinner? They weren't expecting visitors in the castle over the holidays, so they won't know to make you food unless you go and ask for it," Dumbledore explained, "I believe you know where the kitchen is?." "Yes, alright," said Harry, turning to go out the door. Just then, he spotted Fawkes sitting in his cage beside the door, "Fawkes," said Harry, then remembering, "Professor Dumbledore, Mr Cloric owns a phoenix too," Harry said before he could stop himself. "Ahh yes," said Professor Dumbledore, and then turned to Mr Cloric, "Word is it, there is another wizard joining the order this year," he said conversationally to Mr Cloric. Harry opened the door and started to walk out as Artemis replied with "So I have heard." Harry wondered briefly what the 'Order' was. Maybe it was some kind of a phoenix lovers club, and they took them all out for walks in the park during the weekends or something. As Harry entered the hall and started walking towards the nearest staircase, something slightly more worrying than what they might be talking about hit him. Last year, He, Ron and Hermione had severely annoyed the House-elves, and they had pushed the three of them out of the kitchen. Chances are, they might not have forgotten, and Harry was going to be greeted angrily when he reached the kitchens. So when Harry reached the entrance hall at the bottom, he changed his mind about going into the kitchens and instead made for the front door. He decided to go for an evening walk around the lake. After all, Harry thought, he had only had breakfast 2 hours earlier, he wasn't all that hungry. Just as Harry was reaching the front doors, someone on the other side opened them. Harry gasped.

It was Mr Weasley. "Harry!" he said, "I'm so glad to see you, I've been out looking for you the last couple of weeks, you really had us worried sick." "I'm sorry," said Harry, feeling almost guilty. "That's alright, it wasn't your fault, what matters is that you are alright. Anyway, I've come to ask Dumbledore whether you can come and stay with us, there is still another week of holidays, and I think you should spend it with us rather than the Dursleys this time." "That would be great!" said Harry. "Well you wait here, and I'll just go and see Dumbledore," instructed Mr Weasley. "Alright," conceded Harry.

Harry stood waiting in the entrance hall for about 20 minutes wondering whether Dumbledore was telling Mr Weasley everything that had happened.. and hoping that Mr Weasley wouldn't relay it all to Mrs Weasley. Then Mr Weasley and Dumbledore appeared at the top of the stairs and came down. "Sorry about the wait, Harry," said Mr Weasley. "Arthur's convinced me you should stay with the Weasleys.. I assume you want to," said Dumbledore smiling. "Yes! I'd like that," replied Harry. "Good, then Mr Weasley will take you to their house by the Floo network. I'll see you back at school next week, September the 8th," said Dumbledore. "Ok, bye then," said Harry, turning and following Mr Weasley into the parlor room beside the Great Hall. Mr Weasley turned and closed the door behind Harry as he walked in. Harry cringed inside.. he could guess that Mr Weasley was going to try and have one of his little talks with him before they left. But Mr Weasley must have thought the better of it, and walked over to the fireplace and lit it with his wand. He took a paper packet of floo powder out of his pocket and unwrapped it and threw a handful of the glittering powder in. The fire flared up in an emerald green blaze, and Mr Weasley indicated for Harry to go first. Harry took a deep breath, trying not to think of that time he had accidentally ended up in Knockturn alley, and stepped into the fire shouting, "The Burrow." He closed his eyes and tucked his elbows in as he spun quickly around, feeling like a cold wind was sucking him down. Presently, the spinning began to subside and he opened his eyes, squinting through the stinging smoke. He finally caught sight of The Burrows fireplace and stepped forwards, leaning his weight backwards as he did so, so he wouldn't fall on his face.

"Harry!" screamed Mrs Weasley, rushing forwards and hugging him tightly. "We were all so worried, where have you been?" said Mrs Weasley. Harry thought that she might be in danger of crying. "I found myself in New Zealand, after I disapparated away from Voldemort," said Harry quickly. "Whoa, you didn't tell us you could apparate!" said Fred and George simultaneously. "Where did you learn to do that?" asked Ron indignantly, "Percy didn't learn to do that until he was 18, and he failed his test the first time." "To New Zealand?" said Mrs Weasley faintly, "But that's on the other side of the world." Everyone was looking at him strangely, Harry went red, "I didn't mean to, it just kindof happened when I realized I didn't want to be where I was."

Mr Weasley had still not arrived as they sat down at the table and had some hot chocolate and biscuits before bed. Harry noted that Percy wasn't there, neither was Charlie or Bill. "Where's Percy?" Harry asked Ron as he was putting his plate and cup in the sink after finishing.
Ron looked slightly worried for a second, and then said, "Follow me," and headed for the stairs.
"He's been acting really weirdly lately.. more withdrawn than usual.. and added to that is, can you hear it?" Harry listened as they reached the landing outside Percys room. Music was coming from under his door, as Harry listened he heard some of the lyric:

'This wand was made for waving, Wavings what to do, and if you are not careful, I'll wave it over you!'

Harry couldn't help it.. he laughed, quickly covering his mouth, it sounded like a takeoff off a muggle song on the radio. "Bloody disturbing if you ask me," said Ron in his ear.

"Did you get your birthday present?" inquired Ron as they entered his room. "Oh yeah," said Harry as they sat down on the Chudley Cannon beds, "Thanks, it looks like a really cool book, my stuff is still at the Dursleys though, I didn't get to read all of it before I was abducted" "That's where dad is now," said Ron, "He told us he was going to get you, and then go to the Dursleys for your stuff. Probably went straight there." "Oh right," replied Harry slightly relieved. "What was it like in New Zealand?" asked Ron. Harry then spent the next half-hour telling Ron about his stay at the Clorics and how he had played Snowditch everyday, and made friends with all the local kids. Then he told Ron about their school and how it wasn't anything like Hogwarts. "I'm glad we go to school at Hogwarts," said Ron as he got into bed and closed his eyes.

Mr Weasley knocked on the door just then and came into the room carrying Harrys trunk, and Hedwig in his cage. "Here you are then, Harry," he said, "I'll bring your broomstick up in a minute." He left the room and Harry opened his trunk and took out his limerick book that Ron had given him for his birthday. "I only read the first one," Harry admitted. "Give it here then?" Ron asked rubbing his eyes. Harry handed the sliver glittery book over, and Ron opened it in the middle and read:

There once was a wizard called Bizard, Who found himself in a blizzard, He knew he would die, and be buried alive, And so ends the tale of Bizard.

"Fred spotted it first in Flourish and Blotts," Ron explained, "We thought you would like it, and Fred and George wanted to give you a present as well, so we brought it between us," Ron said. Then he asked curiously, "What did Hermione give you?"

"Oh," said Harry grinning, "Durmstrang: A History." "WHAT!" yelled Ron sitting up in bed. "YOU'RE KIDDING?!" "No, actually, I'm not," Harry said taking the green leather book out of his trunk and passing it to Ron. Ron gawped at it and said, "She's crazy." "She also got me some Bulgarian sweets," said Harry, taking out a packet, and passing a couple of small chocolate shaped animals over to Ron. Harry made sure he didn't pass Ron one of the chocolate shaped spiders. As they were chewing on the sweets Mr Weasley walked back into the room with Harrys Firebolt. "Here you are Harry," he said putting it by the bed, then, "Didn't you have any supper?" looking at the pile of wrappers by Rons bed. "It's nearly 11pm, you should get some sleep, you both might need it," he scrowled. Harry looked at his watch in surprise, he was still running on New Zealand time and didn't feel like sleeping. Ron however, was yawning.

Mr Weasley left the room and so Harry said to Ron, "Sirus gave me a watch for my birthday, it's really different from my last one." Ron looked over at Harrys wrist, and then sat back up in a flash, "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Those are really expensive.. Dumbledore wears one just like it.. give it here?" he asked. Harry took it off his wrist and handed it to Ron, who stared at it without blinking for a while. "Do you know how to read it then?" asked Ron. "Yeah, it came with instructions on the box, but I never got past the instructions on how to read the hour," Harry replied.

Ron handed the watch back with a rather tortured expression on his face and Harry felt rather bad about getting such a great gift. He changed quickly into his pajamas, and climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

The next day over breakfast, Ron and Harry compared notes on their summer homework assignments over breakfast. "I tell you, Snape's going to throw a hissy-fit when he sees my 6th essay," stated Ron gloomily. "The one about the uses of Lobalug poison?" asked Harry, and then, when Ron nodded, "What's wrong with it?" "I've only got 34 of the uses written down, I asked Percy, and he said that there are 35 uses. I looked through every book in the house and I can't find it, and Percy the weirdo won't tell me anything." "RON!" said Mrs Weasley, shocked. "Don't insult Percy."

Harry unrolled his 6th potions essay parchment and counted the uses. "I've got all 35," he said eventually, "Which one haven't you got?" he asked handing his essay to Ron who peered at it. After checking it against his own essay, Ron found that he was missing the use of Lobalug poison in potions to treat Crup bites. "Do you mind if I copy this bit," he asked pointing to the relevant paragraph, "I won't make it too obvious." Harry nodded, and hoped Mrs Weasley hadn't heard Ron.