*AN: Hiiiii everyone! So your back for more? Great! I know the story's kinda startin' out slow, but don't worry, it gets better! Just like all Harry Potter stories. This chapter is pretty long, but it's interesting all the same! Please please please R&R! And all flames will be used to boil tea and make Ramen Noodles for me and Saiya-jin Spice! Enjoy this chapter!*

Chapter 4- Return to the Burrow

Saturday couldn't come soon enough for Harry. He had packed his trunk and was ready to go two days early. Even Hedwig seemed excited, as if she knew where they were going. Uncle Vernon ambled around the house with an incredibly annoyed look on his face at all times. As if allowing his nephew to do something he really wanted was completely horrible. And seeing Harry so cheery made gun even more indignant.

In fact, Harry was in such a good mood he decided to take a walk through town. He ignored the familiar stares and nervous glances as he walked along. He was used to it by now. Wearing Dudely's old clothes and the reputation that his aunt and uncle probably developed for him probably made him the most feared child on the block. But he didn't care, he preferred it that way sometimes.

As he walked, however, he began to think about past events and wondered what was going to happen next. There was an obvious war approaching that couldn't be avoided. Now that Voldemort's return was believed and the approaching war not so secret, Harry wondered what would happen to the Order of the Phoenix. It started out as a secret organization that plotted against Voldemort, but now that news of him was spreading, what would happen to the Order? The thing that really bothered him was that no one of it would stop until either he or Voldemort killed each other. How many lives would be lost on their account? What horrible things would the wizarding world, and even the muggle world, succumb to while the two fought it out? This he would really rather not think about. And what of Sirius? What would he do without his godfather? How would he ever leave Privet Drive? How could he have any real family? He shook his head vigorously, trying to shake the thoughts and images that flooded his mind. That wasn't what he should be thinking about right now. All he wanted was for it to be five o'clock Saturday and himself being reunited with Ron, Hermione and the Weaselys.

He paused as he came to Summet Drive. Or as the Dursleys and all the other stuck-ups on Privet Drive would call "the dumpster" side of town. Summet Drive had smaller, less luxurious houses than Privet Drive or any other street. many fairly well-to-do people lived there, but there were the occasional bad apples. Harry, himself, had never gone down that way. *Wow, have I really come this far already?* he pondered.

Never the less, he turned around and started back towards Privet Drive, avoiding Dudely and his gang on the way back.

* * * * * *

Harry flew out of bed the next morning. Finally, it was Saturday! He was going back to the Burrow! He quickly got dressed and flew down the stairs. The Durselys were already awake and in the kitchen. Dudely was shoveling a large piece of grapefruit in his mouth and greedily eyeing Uncle Vernon's with his piggy eyes. As normal, Uncle Vernon was reading the paper and Aunt Petunia was bustling around the kitchen. Harry took his place at the table and Aunt Petunia set a plate with a small piece of grapefruit down before him with a clatter. He ate without complaint, and before Dudely coud get to it, for he knew that later on that day, and for the rest of the summer, he would be enjoying the wonders of Mrs. Weasely's cooking.

"So, boy." said Uncle Vernon in a gruff voice, "What bloody time am I supposed to be dropp9ng you off at London?"

"Five o'clock." Harry replied. His uncle muttered something before grumbling.

"Maybe we'll take you early. Be rid of you sooner. Then you wouldn't be so damn perky. It's disgusting..."

"Sure." Harry said getting up from his chair. Dudely glared at him from across the room. He assumed that he was planning to do something evil to Harry before he left, but he didn' care. He didn't think anything could dampen his spirits.

* * * * * *

Harry thought he'd never been dropped off so fast in all the time he lived with the Durselys. He, Hedwig and his trunk were out of the car so fast, he didn't even have time to say a sarcastic 'goodbye'. He assumed it was because Uncle Vernon didn't want to be seen with him, much less with all of his Hogwarts things. But he didn't care, he just picked up Hedwig's cage and his trunk and headed for the Leaky Cauldron. The Leaky Cauldron was bar/inn that was stationed in London that only people of the wizarding world could see.

As he walked in the door, he greeted the bar tender who happily allowed him to tow his stuff in one of the private dining rooms. Harry had run away from the Durselys his third year at Hogwarts and caught the Night Bus to the Leaky Cauldron where he stayed until the Weasely's came by and offered for him to stay with them. As he deposited his trunk and Hedwig on the table and glanced at his watch. He had a half an hour before Ron came.

As he stepped back into the main bar he was greeted by the all-too-familiar stares of everyone present. They gawked at him, their eyes sweeping up his body and eventually resting on the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"What'll it be, Harry?" the bar tender asked kindly.

"Oh, nothing thanks. I'm just waiting for the Weaselys." he replied.

"Alright then." Smiling awkwardly he turned and headed for the back door. He pulled out his wand when he came to the brick wall and used it to top the bricks in the way Hagrid taught him. The wall shuddered and the scarping noise of bricks was heard as they shifted and Diagon Alley was opened up to him.

He grinned, stuffing his wand back into his pocket and stepping through. As always, the Alley was bustling with activity. Witches, wizards and more hurrying in and out of shops and stopping to admire trinkets and broomsticks. Harry smiled as he walked down the Alley looking at the shops.

Suddenly, he collided hard with someone. He was thrown back and a shower of packages landed on top of him his glasses askew. He readjusted his glasses rubbing his head where one of the packages hit him.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" came a familiar voice. Harry snapped he head around and came face to face with the pretty face of Cho Chang!

"Cho?" he said.

"Harry!" she said a smile spreading across her lips. Cho Chang was, by his opinion, the pretties girl at Hogwarts. Her long sheet of black hair fell across her shoulders and her black almond eyes shone. Her cheeks turned slightly pink and she sat back on her heels realizing how close she was to him.

"I'm so sorry!" she said beginning to gather up the packages strewn on the stone alleyway. "It's kind of hard to carry all of these by myself."

"No problem." Harry replied. "Would you like me to help you?" Harry was surprised at himself. He actually offered to help her without stuttering! Maybe it was because impressing Cho was beyond him now. A par of the life before Voldemort had returned. Before the death of his godfather. And before he knew that it was either he or Voldemoret had to die before the war would end. Cho smiled and her cheeks went a bit pinker.

"Sure, thanks." she said. he helped her gather up her things carrying quite a bit of her stuff for her.

"So what are you here for? Hogwarts shopping?" she asked him as they walked.

"Uh, actually I'm waiting for Ron." he replied.

"Oh. Well, my parents wanted me to do my shopping early this year. Said that I should beat the crowd. Obviously that'll never happen." she said gesturing around.

"No, probably not." he said. come to think of it, he hadn't even gotten his Hogwarts letter yet. How did Cho? Had everyone else already gotten their letters? Did Dumbledoor...forget him? He shook his head slightly trying to shake the thought. Of course Dumbledoor couldn't forget him. maybe the students go their letters at different times.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Cho asked snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Uh-...huh?" he stuttered.

"You seem awfully quiet." she said smiling at him. Harry felt his stomach do a flip as she tossed her hair over her shoulder causing it to shimmer and light to dance across her face.

"Yeah. Sorry." he said. Then he added to make up for it. "So, where you headed next?"

"Oh, I just have one more stop at the Quidditch Shop." she said turning the corner. He followed.

"My favorite store in the world." he aid. She smiled again as they stepped into the shop.

* * * * *

"Oh! Finally!" Cho said in relief as she dropped the packages on the table at the Leaky Cauldron. "I thought my arms were going to fall off!"

"Yeah." replied Harry dropping the remainder of them next to hers. As they both sat down at a table across from each other, Harry remembered last year. Cho had actually kissed him last year under the mistletoe and the day of Valentine's Day when they went out together hadn't gone so well.

"What'll it be, kids?" said the smiling bar tender.

"Uhh..." Harry faltered looking uneasily at Cho. They really weren't together or anything, he was just helping her with her packages. And looking at his watch, Ron would be here any minute. Bu she just smiled and said "Two butterbears, please."

"right away, missy." the bartender said. After he set the drinks in from of them, Harry had only taken a couple of swigs when he heard a familiar voice call out.

"Harry!" He spun around in his seat and saw Ron, Hermoine and Fred and George.

"Hi!" Harry said as they started toward him. He looked over at Cho who's pretty face twisted into a scowl when she saw the bushy-haired Hermione. One of the things that went wrong with their date last year was that Cho got jealous of Hermione. Obviously she still held a grudge.

"Hiya, Harry." said Ron.

"Hey, Harry." said George.

"Ready to go?" asked Fred.

"Uhh.." Harry hesitated looking at Cho. She quickly regained her composure and gave a weak smile.

"Go on, Harry." Thanks for helping with my stuff!" she said. He smiled greatfully and headed towards the back room to get Hedwig and his stuff. He came back out and Fred and George took hold of his trunk. He dropped a couple of sickles on the table paying for both his and Cho's drinks.

"Um. Bye, Cho." he said.

"By, Harry! See you in school!" she said as he and the others walked out.

* * * * * *

Harry caughed a couple of times and brushed off some of the soot that had attached itself to his clothes as he stepped out of the Weaselys' fire place. then he was almost toppled over by Hermione flinging her arms around his neck.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" she said pulling away.

"It's good to see you too, Hermione." he said smiling at everything around him.

"heya, Harry!" said George smacking him on the back. "Have a nice summer petrifying the muggles?"

"Hey, glad you could make it!" said Ron. Harry beamed. For the second time this summer he was happy. He was back with the people he belonged with. And nothing had changed. Wait a second, he corrected himself, Well, maybe they have changed a little. Ron was as tall and lanky as ever, Fred and George, he noticed, were wearing finer clothing than normal and Hermione's hair looked less bushy and she looked a bit.....older.

"Mum's outside tending to the garden and dad's at work." Ron informed him.

"Noticed you were stittin' there with Cho Chang" Fred started mischievously. "Puttin' the moves on her were ya?"

"No...no! I was just helping her carry her stuff." he replied. How did he see this coming?

"Sure, sure." said George. "We've been having a little romance of our own going on here-" But he was cut off by Ron sharply jabbing him in the side with an elbow. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. Something odd was going on.

"Uh...what's going on?" he questioned.

"Nothing!" Ron and Hermione said together hurriedly. But neither of them were looking directly at him and both of their faces shown red as the color of guilt.

"Uhh.."

"So, Harry, let's take your stuff up to my room!" said Ron hurriedly taking hold of one end of Harry's trunk. Something weird was going on, gut Harry decided to dismiss the ideas as he took hold of the other end of the trunk in one hand and Hedwig's cage in the other. Then the both of them walked up the stairs.