He was standing in a darkened living room. Across the room he saw his
mother and father sitting together on a sofa. His mother was rocking a
small bundle in her arms. Harry walked up to them and saw it was a small
baby boy with black hair and green eyes. He said to his parents, "Listen.
Hide. Peter can't be trusted. If you don't leave now Voldemort will attack
you tonight! Get out of here."
His father looked up at him. "I know, son. We know. We've got to stay here. For your sake. For the sake of free wizards everywhere."
"And witches." His mother smiled.
"Why? This way we'll get to know each other. You'll live and I won't be with the Dursleys. We can be a family. And if you die your best friend will go to Azkaban. And-"
"Harry, all this was meant to happen. We're doing what we having to. Just like you have done and will do in the future. Wake up now."
"Wake up now."
"Wake up now."
The words seemed to echo in his mind and dimly the world came into focus. He saw a blurry shape in a white uniform straightening the linens. He turned his head ever so slightly and saw three other indistinct shapes: one topped in red, another, yellow, and the third brown.
"You're waking up!" the yellow topped shape and the brown topped shaped leaned over and hugged him. The other person got his glasses and put them on his face. As Harry suspected the blurs of colors were the hair of his friends: it was Ron, Hermione, and Renata.
"Harry, we were afraid that." Ron didn't finish the sentence.
Harry groaned as he struggled to sit up and failed. "You know it's not that easy to get rid of me. What happened?"
"Everyone is back safe. Everyone except."
"Where am I?"
"The hospital."
"Which hospital?"
"You'll never guess what happened."
"Ron, where am I and what happened?" He tried to sit up but the nurse beside him gently pushed down his shoulder; it was just as well, trying to sit up had made his head hurt.
Hermione seemed about to say something but shut her mouth.
"What is it, Hermione?"
"You're in.St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies."
"What? Why?"
"I don't think we should tell you. Dumbledore said we shouldn't talk to you too much."
"Tell me what happened." He tried to sit up again.
"Not now, Harry."
"Rest."
"You're ill and your need rest," Renata grinned. "We promise that we'll be back later as long as you don't die while we're gone. Deal?"
"Okay." He gave her a weak smile.
As his friends left Harry looked to see who the nurse was that had been fussing beside his bed. Standing there was Madam Pomfrey.
"What day is it?" he asked.
Madam Pomfrey looked relieved to see Harry awake but she became strict. "You need to rest."
"What are you doing here?"
"Humph. Taking care of you. What else?"
"Aren't there nurses here?"
"Of course there are but I've worked with you before and not everyone can handle the same patients well enough. A fragile boy such as yourself-"
"I'm not fragile."
"Fine, one who seems to end up in the hospital as much as you needs to be careful. Drink this." She sat him up and poured a steaming liquid down his throat. "Go to sleep. Dumbledore will speak with you when you have rested."
Harry closed his eyes and fell into a deep and dreamless slumber. When he woke up again the first face he saw belonged to-
"Sirius! What are you doing here? What if somebody sees you?"
"Relax, Harry. It's all okay," Sirius was grinning but at the same time he looked worried. "I should have made Dumbledore let me come with you. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner."
"What do you mean 'it's all okay'?"
"I'll let Hermione and Renata tell you when they come back to see you again. I'm free, Harry."
"Wh-wh-what?"
"I am free, Harry. When you and the others testify for me for the Ministry it will be final, but they've got Peter and I'm free."
Harry saw tears shining in Sirius's eyes and he was sure he could feel them in his own as well. He couldn't say anything. "I can leave the Dursleys?" he asked, barely above a whisper.
"That's not completely for me to decide. It's up Dumbledore, and the Ministry, and you of course."
"I'd never have gone back once I left for Hogwarts."
"I'm going to try my best, Harry. I can't keep you to myself now; there are other people who want to see you. Ron and Hermione and Renata want to talk to you. And Dumbledore of course. Fudge is here too." He said with a slight frown.
"I'm not talking to him."
"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice, Harry," Fudge's voice came across the room.
"I don't have anything to say to you, sir. I think you should be talking to Professor Dumbledore," he narrowed his eyes and his voice was cold.
"I tried. He insisted I speak with you first."
"What did he say?"
"I asked him what I should do and he said I needed to talk to you, Harry."
"So, talk."
"What do you think, Harry?"
"About what? I've hardly been awake since I got here. I haven't had time to think about anything that happened last night!"
"Last night?" he frowned. "You haven't been awake for a week."
"A week!"
"Didn't you know?
"No. No one's telling me anything. You better let Sirius stay free. I am not going back to the Dursleys."
"Harry, that's unthinkable, they are your legal gaurdians and Mr. Black-"
"Sirius is great. He looks out for me. The Dursleys couldn't care less. They don't care one iota about me. Sirius is innocent and he does care. We've just proved that he's innocent!"
"Still working on proving it."
"Are you saying you don't think he's innocent? I saw Peter last night and he was alive!"
"Well, Harry..."
"Just get out of here! Shoo! Go talk to Dumbledore. Go talk to Voldemort for all I care. Just don't stay here and just don't talk to me because I've got nothing to say to you that you want to hear. You made mistakes you won't own up to, so get out of my face and deal with it because I'm not speaking to you."
"If that's the way you feel..." Fudge stalked out of the room muttering something about respect for elders.
Sirius turned to him, "You sure that was wise, Harry? I know he's a git, but still...I forgot to tell you! Mrs. Weasly came to see you."
"Mrs. Weasly?" Harry suddenly felt a little better. Ron's mum treated Harry like one of her own.
"Yes, quite a collection of visitors and plenty more waiting for you back at Hogwarts."
"Did they find everyone?"
"Yes but not everyone was quite that well off. That Terry boy.well.I think you saw what happened to him. They've got the rest more or less whole. Most of them have gone back to Hogwarts already. They found Neville Longbottom as well. Apparently, he'd been kept alive in hopes that you would come after him they didn't think you'd come if you somehow found out Neville were dead. Apparently he was the real bait and the others were only taken as an after thought and because you never came after Neville. There were a couple of injuries when everyone was fighting and the rattlesnake bit Hermione, but everyone's just about healed up. We even caught a few of the Death Eaters, but very few."
"What about Voldemort?" Harry asked quietly.
"He- he got away, Harry. There was nothing that could be done to stop it."
"I thought for sure we had him this time! Where's Pettigrew?"
"Dumbledore has personally seen to the safekeeping of him, thanks to Hermione and Renata. I'll let them tell you about it when they come."
There was a knock at the door. Dumbledore came in. "I see you're busy, Harry, I'll come back later."
"No, wait. I want the whole story of what happened."
"It's quite simple actually. You and your friends snuck out after explicitly being told not to. You left the campus, which is of course not allowed, brooms were taken from two of the students and you endangered yourself and others. You should be proud, Harry, without your help those others might have been lost forever. That is the short of it all. I'm sure you're friends will oblige you with the details." Dumbledore produced something from his pocket. "A bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I think I should like to try one but I wonder whether I will get a tasty flavor or not." He popped one in his mouth before setting the bag down beside Harry. He informed Harry, "Liver."
Harry couldn't tell whether Dumbledore thought this was good or bad.
"I'll see you soon. Don't spoil your lunch with these."
No sooner had Dumbledore left than Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a tray with Harry's lunch. "Eat well. You need your strength. Not too much candy. You'll be going back to Hogwarts soon but in the meantime you need good food and rest."
Harry was still tired; too tired to argue with the nurse so he just ate without complaint. He had nearly fallen asleep when he heard his friends arguing with Madam Pomfrey.
"Please. You let Sirius in-"
"That was different."
"You let Fudge in."
"Again, that is another case."
"You let Dumbledore in. And us in."
"Yeah. We were allowed to stay here so we could see Harry. We don't want to leave and there's no point in having us stay if we can't see him."
"Again, these are entirely different matters."
"Please?"
"Please?"
"Please?"
"A short visit, mind you. Keep it short."
"Thank you!" they flung their gratitude over their shoulders and came to Harry's bed.
"Harry, how are you feeling?"
"Did you rest like we told you to?"
"Glad to see you didn't kill yourself while we were gone."
"Good to see you guys too." He managed to get himself upright in the bed without his head hurting too badly. "So what happened? I know it was a week ago and Dumbledore gave me an overview of what happened but tell me what happened."
And so they began to tell him.
"We all got up and were going to follow you, we started to and then Hermione was bit by the snake. So, even though neither of them wanted to they both had to go back to the ditch with the brooms and take care of the bite."
"Yes. I couldn't leave because of my leg and Renata couldn't leave because she had to treat it."
Ron took up the story thread again. "So I took the cloak and started to follow you. We left where Pettigrew and that other guy were and we went to where You-Know-Who and everyone else was. Then when one of them picked up Terry, and you just sort of lost it and you challenged him to a duel. But they got Terry anyway. When you were distracting them I went to where everyone one was chained up. The Death Eaters were stupid enough to leave the box of wands out and so that when they closed their ring I gave everyone back their wands. When you had them all distracted again we attacked. The Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors did anyway. The stupid Death Eaters didn't know what hit them!"
"Where was Malfoy?"
"He was standing around with the Death Eaters and when the fighting started he just sat on the ground whining. Pansy got out a spell or two though. I don't know about Crabbe though. When the fighting got really bad Renata's mum Disapperated and came back with help. By then some of the Death Eaters had left though and most of those who hadn't already left, left when Renata's mum came back. We caught a couple of the Death Eaters and gave them to the Ministry. McNair and another one I think. When the fighting stopped we saw you laying on the ground, unconscious."
"Again," added Renata.
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Anyway we weren't sure what he'd done to you. At first we thought.but then Angelina saw that you were breathing. So he must have just knocked you out or something. Do you remember?"
"Not the end of it really. Voldemort and his snake were coming at me.and then there was just nothing. I don't remember anything that happened after that, at least nothing when I was conscious. What else? Did you find out about Neville? How'd you get Wormtail?"
"Full of questions, aren't you?" teased Renata. "I think we should just make you wait."
"What about Neville and Wormtail?" he asked again.
"We found Neville tied up not too far from the rest of them. He'll tell you the story when he sees you."
"He's here? Is he okay?"
"He's fine now. Just visiting some people on another floor."
"Good. Then what about Wormtail?"
"I'll let Hermione tell you about him."
"Renata and I were waiting and we got worried when neither of you came back. Renata had taken care of my leg so that was well enough off. We came to look for you two. The first people we saw where Wormtail and that other guy. We sent sparks into the air for a distraction for the guy and then we were going to stun Wormtail but he turned into a rat."
"That of course is just as well because when we stunned him as a rat he fit into our bags quite nicely. That other guy never saw us, but it was close. If he had turned around a couple seconds sooner he would have. When he couldn't find Wormtail, he Disapperated. Then it wasn't long before everyone came back and found us."
"I conjured a jar and put an unbreakable charm on it. Then I put Wormtail in."
"Just like with Rita Skeeter," Harry grinned.
"I didn't want to give him air holes but Hermione said we had to. Then someone called the Knight Bus to get the students back to my old school. Most of the adults just Apperated as close to there as they could get and then pretty much ran the rest of the way. So we got there to sort things out but then somebody recommended you be taken here. Madam Pomfrey found out and insisted on coming too."
"How did the students and your mom get caught by them in the first place?"
"Well, the way I understood it, somebody set a spell that worked a lot like a Portkey. When the bus drove to where the spell was set it went off and it transported them all to about where you found them. The Death Eaters were waiting and they tied them up and took their wands. That's about it all there is to tell you."
With that, Harry was lulled to sleep within a few moments.
When Harry woke up, Dumbledore was there again.
"Hello, Harry."
"Hi, Professor Dumbledore."
"Anything you'd like to say or know, Harry?"
"A few things actually."
"Ask away," he invited.
"I had a dream when I was unconscious." Harry began to tell Dumbledore his dream.
"You feel guilty, Harry. You blame yourself often for your parents death whether you realize it or not; but at the same time, even much deeper down, you know that it wasn't your fault but the two feelings are in conflict. But, you see, it wasn't your fault, Harry. Don't let anyone ever make you that it was."
"I .I know it sounds strange, Professor, but I'm not sure that was a dream."
"Neither am I, Harry, but for now, that's what we'll have to except it as."
"Where am I going this summer? What's happening with Sirius? If I can't go with him could I go to the Weaslys'?"
"Slow down, Harry. I do not yet know for sure where you will spend this summer."
"If my voice counts for anything, I don't want to and I won't go back to the Dursleys."
"Harry, this is a much more complicated matter than it seems. Unfortunately I think you may have to go back to the Dursleys if the Ministry rules that Sirius is not yet ready to be your proper guardian. I will try though. You should be leaving here in a day or two. Maybe even tomorrow."
"What about Sirius?"
"Impatient, aren't you? As for the matter of Sirius's freedom, that is almost certain. I am almost sure that the Ministry officials will wish to talk to you and Hermione and Ron first."
"Do they want to talk to Lupin too? Where is he?"
"Remus is watching over things at Hogwarts for me. He should still be there when we go back."
Harry tried to work out in his head what day it was, and couldn't remember. "What day is it, what's the date today?"
"The 6th of June."
"I'm missing the exams," he wasn't too sorry about this. "Ron and the girls are missing the exams. Will we have to make them up when we go back?"
"Under the circumstances, Harry, no, none of you do."
It was very hard for Harry to keep a straight face.
"Glad to see you're feeling better. I have some matters to attend to, but I shall be back."
Harry dozed a little in the rest of the afternoon and that night, after Madam Pomfrey removed his dinner tray Mrs. Weasly came in.
She fussed over the blankets on Harry's bed. She talked to him for a minute. Then she gave him a hug and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight, Harry."
Harry spent the next day much the same way and the day after that he was ready to go home. The trip back was quick. They traveled by Floo Powder and Harry was soon back at Hogwarts, where he felt at home again. The first place Harry wanted to go was Gryffindor Tower; well that was the second, he hadn't seen Hagrid in at least two weeks. Ron, Hermione, and Renata didn't seem to deem it wise to let Harry off by himself and therefore accompanied him, although part of the reason they went was probably to see Hagrid.
"Harry! Good ter see yeh agin. Seems like a long time, yeh know."
"Good to see you too, Hagrid."
Hagrid hustled them all into the cabin for tea where Fang immediately came over to them and began drooling on Harry's robes.
"How have things been here?" he asked.
"You ask 'ow were things here? From what I've heard all the excitement 'as been back there. But things weren't bad here. Missed most o' the people who were gone."
Reluctantly Harry and the others recounted the story of what had happened. When they had finished their story and their tea they left. Harry was glad to be back again, but there was someone else he had to talk to.
"Neville, I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm not though, Harry. I don't know what it is but I'm not the same."
"No one ever is. Everything that happens changes us all in someway."
"I saw my parents again. They don't know who I am, Harry. I punched Malfoy and used the Leg-Locker Curse on him that night when You-Know-Who had everybody and we were all fighting. What has gotten into me?"
"It's called self-confidence, Neville. It's what'll keep you from backing down every time Snape or Malfoy insults you. Remember, you're at least a dozen times better than him. Two dozen times better. He's Slytherin scum, am I right?"
"Yeah." He paused a moment before grinning broadly, "Yeah, you're right."
The following week the fifth years took their O.W.L.s; they weren't as bad as he had expected but he and Ron agreed that they had both felt their brains would have busted if they had gone on any longer.
After that the remaining days at Hogwarts passed much too swiftly for Harry's liking. Sirius had said his goodbye when Harry left St. Mungos and had promised to keep in touch. Professor Lupin left the day after they came back. Except for the slightly more somber mood of the Ravenclaws and the fact that the Slytherins were now staying out of the way more and keeping to themselves more, things seemed to go back to what passed for normal at Hogwarts.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Renata took one last extra trip to Hogsmeade. They never let Harry out of their sight once. At all times, one or more of them was with him. He went to Honeydukes and picked up a levitating Sherbert Ball for Dudley and a few other sweets for himself.
Harry's mood was not cheered by the fact that Dumbledore was sending him back to the Dursleys again.
Too soon Harry found himself packing up his trunk and saying goodbye to the dormitory. He went down into the Great Hall with his friends for the end of school feast.
The decorations in the Great Hall were black hangings for the second year in a row. Last year it had been in honor of Cedric's death, this year in honor of Terry's. Harry took his place among the Gryffindors. The students in the Hall quieted almost instantly as Professor Dumbledore stood for his speech.
"Another year has gone by and with it has gone the life of another student here at Hogwarts. I don't know how many of you knew Terry Boot but as most of you know, he has passed on while we were away. It is true that Voldemort killed him. Voldemort kidnapped twelve students and a teacher while we were away as well as another student who was missing during the year. If not for the efforts of several brave students here, those taken prisoner may not have been recovered. For this I would like to thank Misters Ron Weasly and Harry Potter as well as Miss Hermione Granger and Miss Renata Delano. For each of them I have given the Gryffindor House fifty points. Also I commend those who fought back against Voldemort during the struggle of the escape. As for the House Cup, Gryffindor wins. Hufflepuff is in fourth place with 297 points; Ravenclaw in third with 313 points; Slytherin in second place with 402; and Gryffindor in first place with 501 points. Before we begin the feast I would like you all to raise your glasses and have a moment of silence in Terry's honor, for his last moments were perhaps his most courageous." Dumbledore raised his own goblet silently and the others all followed suit, when he put the goblet down the students and teachers put down their goblets. "Let the feast begin."
The plates in front of them magically appeared full of food. As the meal progressed the mood lightened but at the same time Harry grew a little depressed; he'd be leaving Hogwarts for two months and when he had had the most hope of ever leaving the Dursleys for good, he was stuck their again. He didn't let this keep him too down though; instead he enjoyed himself.
His father looked up at him. "I know, son. We know. We've got to stay here. For your sake. For the sake of free wizards everywhere."
"And witches." His mother smiled.
"Why? This way we'll get to know each other. You'll live and I won't be with the Dursleys. We can be a family. And if you die your best friend will go to Azkaban. And-"
"Harry, all this was meant to happen. We're doing what we having to. Just like you have done and will do in the future. Wake up now."
"Wake up now."
"Wake up now."
The words seemed to echo in his mind and dimly the world came into focus. He saw a blurry shape in a white uniform straightening the linens. He turned his head ever so slightly and saw three other indistinct shapes: one topped in red, another, yellow, and the third brown.
"You're waking up!" the yellow topped shape and the brown topped shaped leaned over and hugged him. The other person got his glasses and put them on his face. As Harry suspected the blurs of colors were the hair of his friends: it was Ron, Hermione, and Renata.
"Harry, we were afraid that." Ron didn't finish the sentence.
Harry groaned as he struggled to sit up and failed. "You know it's not that easy to get rid of me. What happened?"
"Everyone is back safe. Everyone except."
"Where am I?"
"The hospital."
"Which hospital?"
"You'll never guess what happened."
"Ron, where am I and what happened?" He tried to sit up but the nurse beside him gently pushed down his shoulder; it was just as well, trying to sit up had made his head hurt.
Hermione seemed about to say something but shut her mouth.
"What is it, Hermione?"
"You're in.St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies."
"What? Why?"
"I don't think we should tell you. Dumbledore said we shouldn't talk to you too much."
"Tell me what happened." He tried to sit up again.
"Not now, Harry."
"Rest."
"You're ill and your need rest," Renata grinned. "We promise that we'll be back later as long as you don't die while we're gone. Deal?"
"Okay." He gave her a weak smile.
As his friends left Harry looked to see who the nurse was that had been fussing beside his bed. Standing there was Madam Pomfrey.
"What day is it?" he asked.
Madam Pomfrey looked relieved to see Harry awake but she became strict. "You need to rest."
"What are you doing here?"
"Humph. Taking care of you. What else?"
"Aren't there nurses here?"
"Of course there are but I've worked with you before and not everyone can handle the same patients well enough. A fragile boy such as yourself-"
"I'm not fragile."
"Fine, one who seems to end up in the hospital as much as you needs to be careful. Drink this." She sat him up and poured a steaming liquid down his throat. "Go to sleep. Dumbledore will speak with you when you have rested."
Harry closed his eyes and fell into a deep and dreamless slumber. When he woke up again the first face he saw belonged to-
"Sirius! What are you doing here? What if somebody sees you?"
"Relax, Harry. It's all okay," Sirius was grinning but at the same time he looked worried. "I should have made Dumbledore let me come with you. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner."
"What do you mean 'it's all okay'?"
"I'll let Hermione and Renata tell you when they come back to see you again. I'm free, Harry."
"Wh-wh-what?"
"I am free, Harry. When you and the others testify for me for the Ministry it will be final, but they've got Peter and I'm free."
Harry saw tears shining in Sirius's eyes and he was sure he could feel them in his own as well. He couldn't say anything. "I can leave the Dursleys?" he asked, barely above a whisper.
"That's not completely for me to decide. It's up Dumbledore, and the Ministry, and you of course."
"I'd never have gone back once I left for Hogwarts."
"I'm going to try my best, Harry. I can't keep you to myself now; there are other people who want to see you. Ron and Hermione and Renata want to talk to you. And Dumbledore of course. Fudge is here too." He said with a slight frown.
"I'm not talking to him."
"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice, Harry," Fudge's voice came across the room.
"I don't have anything to say to you, sir. I think you should be talking to Professor Dumbledore," he narrowed his eyes and his voice was cold.
"I tried. He insisted I speak with you first."
"What did he say?"
"I asked him what I should do and he said I needed to talk to you, Harry."
"So, talk."
"What do you think, Harry?"
"About what? I've hardly been awake since I got here. I haven't had time to think about anything that happened last night!"
"Last night?" he frowned. "You haven't been awake for a week."
"A week!"
"Didn't you know?
"No. No one's telling me anything. You better let Sirius stay free. I am not going back to the Dursleys."
"Harry, that's unthinkable, they are your legal gaurdians and Mr. Black-"
"Sirius is great. He looks out for me. The Dursleys couldn't care less. They don't care one iota about me. Sirius is innocent and he does care. We've just proved that he's innocent!"
"Still working on proving it."
"Are you saying you don't think he's innocent? I saw Peter last night and he was alive!"
"Well, Harry..."
"Just get out of here! Shoo! Go talk to Dumbledore. Go talk to Voldemort for all I care. Just don't stay here and just don't talk to me because I've got nothing to say to you that you want to hear. You made mistakes you won't own up to, so get out of my face and deal with it because I'm not speaking to you."
"If that's the way you feel..." Fudge stalked out of the room muttering something about respect for elders.
Sirius turned to him, "You sure that was wise, Harry? I know he's a git, but still...I forgot to tell you! Mrs. Weasly came to see you."
"Mrs. Weasly?" Harry suddenly felt a little better. Ron's mum treated Harry like one of her own.
"Yes, quite a collection of visitors and plenty more waiting for you back at Hogwarts."
"Did they find everyone?"
"Yes but not everyone was quite that well off. That Terry boy.well.I think you saw what happened to him. They've got the rest more or less whole. Most of them have gone back to Hogwarts already. They found Neville Longbottom as well. Apparently, he'd been kept alive in hopes that you would come after him they didn't think you'd come if you somehow found out Neville were dead. Apparently he was the real bait and the others were only taken as an after thought and because you never came after Neville. There were a couple of injuries when everyone was fighting and the rattlesnake bit Hermione, but everyone's just about healed up. We even caught a few of the Death Eaters, but very few."
"What about Voldemort?" Harry asked quietly.
"He- he got away, Harry. There was nothing that could be done to stop it."
"I thought for sure we had him this time! Where's Pettigrew?"
"Dumbledore has personally seen to the safekeeping of him, thanks to Hermione and Renata. I'll let them tell you about it when they come."
There was a knock at the door. Dumbledore came in. "I see you're busy, Harry, I'll come back later."
"No, wait. I want the whole story of what happened."
"It's quite simple actually. You and your friends snuck out after explicitly being told not to. You left the campus, which is of course not allowed, brooms were taken from two of the students and you endangered yourself and others. You should be proud, Harry, without your help those others might have been lost forever. That is the short of it all. I'm sure you're friends will oblige you with the details." Dumbledore produced something from his pocket. "A bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I think I should like to try one but I wonder whether I will get a tasty flavor or not." He popped one in his mouth before setting the bag down beside Harry. He informed Harry, "Liver."
Harry couldn't tell whether Dumbledore thought this was good or bad.
"I'll see you soon. Don't spoil your lunch with these."
No sooner had Dumbledore left than Madam Pomfrey came bustling in with a tray with Harry's lunch. "Eat well. You need your strength. Not too much candy. You'll be going back to Hogwarts soon but in the meantime you need good food and rest."
Harry was still tired; too tired to argue with the nurse so he just ate without complaint. He had nearly fallen asleep when he heard his friends arguing with Madam Pomfrey.
"Please. You let Sirius in-"
"That was different."
"You let Fudge in."
"Again, that is another case."
"You let Dumbledore in. And us in."
"Yeah. We were allowed to stay here so we could see Harry. We don't want to leave and there's no point in having us stay if we can't see him."
"Again, these are entirely different matters."
"Please?"
"Please?"
"Please?"
"A short visit, mind you. Keep it short."
"Thank you!" they flung their gratitude over their shoulders and came to Harry's bed.
"Harry, how are you feeling?"
"Did you rest like we told you to?"
"Glad to see you didn't kill yourself while we were gone."
"Good to see you guys too." He managed to get himself upright in the bed without his head hurting too badly. "So what happened? I know it was a week ago and Dumbledore gave me an overview of what happened but tell me what happened."
And so they began to tell him.
"We all got up and were going to follow you, we started to and then Hermione was bit by the snake. So, even though neither of them wanted to they both had to go back to the ditch with the brooms and take care of the bite."
"Yes. I couldn't leave because of my leg and Renata couldn't leave because she had to treat it."
Ron took up the story thread again. "So I took the cloak and started to follow you. We left where Pettigrew and that other guy were and we went to where You-Know-Who and everyone else was. Then when one of them picked up Terry, and you just sort of lost it and you challenged him to a duel. But they got Terry anyway. When you were distracting them I went to where everyone one was chained up. The Death Eaters were stupid enough to leave the box of wands out and so that when they closed their ring I gave everyone back their wands. When you had them all distracted again we attacked. The Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors did anyway. The stupid Death Eaters didn't know what hit them!"
"Where was Malfoy?"
"He was standing around with the Death Eaters and when the fighting started he just sat on the ground whining. Pansy got out a spell or two though. I don't know about Crabbe though. When the fighting got really bad Renata's mum Disapperated and came back with help. By then some of the Death Eaters had left though and most of those who hadn't already left, left when Renata's mum came back. We caught a couple of the Death Eaters and gave them to the Ministry. McNair and another one I think. When the fighting stopped we saw you laying on the ground, unconscious."
"Again," added Renata.
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Anyway we weren't sure what he'd done to you. At first we thought.but then Angelina saw that you were breathing. So he must have just knocked you out or something. Do you remember?"
"Not the end of it really. Voldemort and his snake were coming at me.and then there was just nothing. I don't remember anything that happened after that, at least nothing when I was conscious. What else? Did you find out about Neville? How'd you get Wormtail?"
"Full of questions, aren't you?" teased Renata. "I think we should just make you wait."
"What about Neville and Wormtail?" he asked again.
"We found Neville tied up not too far from the rest of them. He'll tell you the story when he sees you."
"He's here? Is he okay?"
"He's fine now. Just visiting some people on another floor."
"Good. Then what about Wormtail?"
"I'll let Hermione tell you about him."
"Renata and I were waiting and we got worried when neither of you came back. Renata had taken care of my leg so that was well enough off. We came to look for you two. The first people we saw where Wormtail and that other guy. We sent sparks into the air for a distraction for the guy and then we were going to stun Wormtail but he turned into a rat."
"That of course is just as well because when we stunned him as a rat he fit into our bags quite nicely. That other guy never saw us, but it was close. If he had turned around a couple seconds sooner he would have. When he couldn't find Wormtail, he Disapperated. Then it wasn't long before everyone came back and found us."
"I conjured a jar and put an unbreakable charm on it. Then I put Wormtail in."
"Just like with Rita Skeeter," Harry grinned.
"I didn't want to give him air holes but Hermione said we had to. Then someone called the Knight Bus to get the students back to my old school. Most of the adults just Apperated as close to there as they could get and then pretty much ran the rest of the way. So we got there to sort things out but then somebody recommended you be taken here. Madam Pomfrey found out and insisted on coming too."
"How did the students and your mom get caught by them in the first place?"
"Well, the way I understood it, somebody set a spell that worked a lot like a Portkey. When the bus drove to where the spell was set it went off and it transported them all to about where you found them. The Death Eaters were waiting and they tied them up and took their wands. That's about it all there is to tell you."
With that, Harry was lulled to sleep within a few moments.
When Harry woke up, Dumbledore was there again.
"Hello, Harry."
"Hi, Professor Dumbledore."
"Anything you'd like to say or know, Harry?"
"A few things actually."
"Ask away," he invited.
"I had a dream when I was unconscious." Harry began to tell Dumbledore his dream.
"You feel guilty, Harry. You blame yourself often for your parents death whether you realize it or not; but at the same time, even much deeper down, you know that it wasn't your fault but the two feelings are in conflict. But, you see, it wasn't your fault, Harry. Don't let anyone ever make you that it was."
"I .I know it sounds strange, Professor, but I'm not sure that was a dream."
"Neither am I, Harry, but for now, that's what we'll have to except it as."
"Where am I going this summer? What's happening with Sirius? If I can't go with him could I go to the Weaslys'?"
"Slow down, Harry. I do not yet know for sure where you will spend this summer."
"If my voice counts for anything, I don't want to and I won't go back to the Dursleys."
"Harry, this is a much more complicated matter than it seems. Unfortunately I think you may have to go back to the Dursleys if the Ministry rules that Sirius is not yet ready to be your proper guardian. I will try though. You should be leaving here in a day or two. Maybe even tomorrow."
"What about Sirius?"
"Impatient, aren't you? As for the matter of Sirius's freedom, that is almost certain. I am almost sure that the Ministry officials will wish to talk to you and Hermione and Ron first."
"Do they want to talk to Lupin too? Where is he?"
"Remus is watching over things at Hogwarts for me. He should still be there when we go back."
Harry tried to work out in his head what day it was, and couldn't remember. "What day is it, what's the date today?"
"The 6th of June."
"I'm missing the exams," he wasn't too sorry about this. "Ron and the girls are missing the exams. Will we have to make them up when we go back?"
"Under the circumstances, Harry, no, none of you do."
It was very hard for Harry to keep a straight face.
"Glad to see you're feeling better. I have some matters to attend to, but I shall be back."
Harry dozed a little in the rest of the afternoon and that night, after Madam Pomfrey removed his dinner tray Mrs. Weasly came in.
She fussed over the blankets on Harry's bed. She talked to him for a minute. Then she gave him a hug and kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight, Harry."
Harry spent the next day much the same way and the day after that he was ready to go home. The trip back was quick. They traveled by Floo Powder and Harry was soon back at Hogwarts, where he felt at home again. The first place Harry wanted to go was Gryffindor Tower; well that was the second, he hadn't seen Hagrid in at least two weeks. Ron, Hermione, and Renata didn't seem to deem it wise to let Harry off by himself and therefore accompanied him, although part of the reason they went was probably to see Hagrid.
"Harry! Good ter see yeh agin. Seems like a long time, yeh know."
"Good to see you too, Hagrid."
Hagrid hustled them all into the cabin for tea where Fang immediately came over to them and began drooling on Harry's robes.
"How have things been here?" he asked.
"You ask 'ow were things here? From what I've heard all the excitement 'as been back there. But things weren't bad here. Missed most o' the people who were gone."
Reluctantly Harry and the others recounted the story of what had happened. When they had finished their story and their tea they left. Harry was glad to be back again, but there was someone else he had to talk to.
"Neville, I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm not though, Harry. I don't know what it is but I'm not the same."
"No one ever is. Everything that happens changes us all in someway."
"I saw my parents again. They don't know who I am, Harry. I punched Malfoy and used the Leg-Locker Curse on him that night when You-Know-Who had everybody and we were all fighting. What has gotten into me?"
"It's called self-confidence, Neville. It's what'll keep you from backing down every time Snape or Malfoy insults you. Remember, you're at least a dozen times better than him. Two dozen times better. He's Slytherin scum, am I right?"
"Yeah." He paused a moment before grinning broadly, "Yeah, you're right."
The following week the fifth years took their O.W.L.s; they weren't as bad as he had expected but he and Ron agreed that they had both felt their brains would have busted if they had gone on any longer.
After that the remaining days at Hogwarts passed much too swiftly for Harry's liking. Sirius had said his goodbye when Harry left St. Mungos and had promised to keep in touch. Professor Lupin left the day after they came back. Except for the slightly more somber mood of the Ravenclaws and the fact that the Slytherins were now staying out of the way more and keeping to themselves more, things seemed to go back to what passed for normal at Hogwarts.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Renata took one last extra trip to Hogsmeade. They never let Harry out of their sight once. At all times, one or more of them was with him. He went to Honeydukes and picked up a levitating Sherbert Ball for Dudley and a few other sweets for himself.
Harry's mood was not cheered by the fact that Dumbledore was sending him back to the Dursleys again.
Too soon Harry found himself packing up his trunk and saying goodbye to the dormitory. He went down into the Great Hall with his friends for the end of school feast.
The decorations in the Great Hall were black hangings for the second year in a row. Last year it had been in honor of Cedric's death, this year in honor of Terry's. Harry took his place among the Gryffindors. The students in the Hall quieted almost instantly as Professor Dumbledore stood for his speech.
"Another year has gone by and with it has gone the life of another student here at Hogwarts. I don't know how many of you knew Terry Boot but as most of you know, he has passed on while we were away. It is true that Voldemort killed him. Voldemort kidnapped twelve students and a teacher while we were away as well as another student who was missing during the year. If not for the efforts of several brave students here, those taken prisoner may not have been recovered. For this I would like to thank Misters Ron Weasly and Harry Potter as well as Miss Hermione Granger and Miss Renata Delano. For each of them I have given the Gryffindor House fifty points. Also I commend those who fought back against Voldemort during the struggle of the escape. As for the House Cup, Gryffindor wins. Hufflepuff is in fourth place with 297 points; Ravenclaw in third with 313 points; Slytherin in second place with 402; and Gryffindor in first place with 501 points. Before we begin the feast I would like you all to raise your glasses and have a moment of silence in Terry's honor, for his last moments were perhaps his most courageous." Dumbledore raised his own goblet silently and the others all followed suit, when he put the goblet down the students and teachers put down their goblets. "Let the feast begin."
The plates in front of them magically appeared full of food. As the meal progressed the mood lightened but at the same time Harry grew a little depressed; he'd be leaving Hogwarts for two months and when he had had the most hope of ever leaving the Dursleys for good, he was stuck their again. He didn't let this keep him too down though; instead he enjoyed himself.