A/N: Finally updated, I know! I'll try to be faster! Anyway, I think I'm going to respond to some of my reviewers here, just because I feel like it.

Nana-hedwig: Thanks for the advice on the OWL thing. I took it, really. I think you're right, Harry getting an O is unrealistic, and I think you were right on what he should get. I have it all sorted out, don't worry. That'll be in the next chapter though, so you're going to have to wait. I also agree with all the Snape- Harry relationship stuff you said. You're smart! ^_^

A.L. Lorraine: I'm sorry to say it but your questions might not be truly answered for a while. I think you can all guess who it was, and you get somewhat of a better idea in this chapter, but there won't be much until chapter five (which I do have a plan for by the way.) You'll just have to wait!

Damia: Lol. Sorry, but I'm just evil like that!

Padfoot 22: I think you are the only one to review every single chapter! *gives padfoot a hug* Thanks for all the compliments!

Ckatt44: Sorry! Thanks for all the interest though!

I think that's all that reviewed the last chapter. I don't feel like going through them all so I'm only doing the most recent ones and if I missed you I'm sorry. Review again and then I'll put something up for you (hint hint).

Special thanks to my beta/ co-author Cromie! You've been of so much help!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story or the world they live in. I only hold claim to the plot. I am making no profit out of this. So please, don't sue me, I have no money!

Chapter 3- Arrivals

On Tuesday morning at around ten o'clock, Harry was finally allowed to leave Hogwarts and go to Grimmauld Place. Half of him dreaded entering his late godfather's house again, but the other half desperately wanted to get away from the eerie quiet of an empty Hogwarts, and the constant fussing of Madame Pomfrey.

After a final check over from the medi-witch, Harry made his way to the Entrance Hall. Dumbledore stood by the fireplace waiting for him, a cup of Floo Powder in his hand. Harry noticed his school trunk and Hedwig in her cage on the floor next to the Headmaster.

"Are you ready, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. Harry nodded politely, but his sad eyes showed other emotions. Dumbledore leaned in and whispered, "It's alright, Harry. Just try to think about who is there, instead of who isn't." Dumbledore gave Harry's thin shoulder a squeeze, and turned to the fireplace. He threw in a pinch of Floo Powder, and emerald green flames ignited.

"Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!" Dumbledore shouted, his head in the fireplace. "He's coming Arthur, are we all clear?"

Harry couldn't hear the rest because he didn't have his head in the fire. He figured it was all right though, because Dumbledore took his head out and gave Harry some Floo powder.

"Get your stuff, Harry," said Dumbledore. Harry did as he was told and stepped into the fireplace. "I'll see you in a few days, Harry," was all the old sage said before Harry was consumed by the green flames and disappeared.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Harry landed quite ungracefully in the sitting room of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He wiped off his glasses and looked up into the smiling face of Arthur Weasley, his best friend's dad.

"How are you, Harry?" asked Mr. Weasley gently. He helped Harry onto his feet and tried to beat some of the soot off of him.

"I'm fine, thanks," replied Harry. He looked around the sitting room of his godfather's house. It was pretty much the same as it was last time he'd been here, except noticeably cleaner. Harry swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat; forced back his unshed tears. Now wasn't the time to cry, and Merlin knows he'd done enough of that lately.

Mr. Weasley's expression of concern was sincere. He understood exactly what was going on in the boy's head. Arthur considered Harry to be one of his own sons, and was therefore worried about his welfare. Mr. Weasley knew Harry hadn't taken the sudden death of his godfather at all well, but to actually see the state the boy was in was heartbreaking. It pained him to see the light gone from Harry's once brilliant green eyes, to see him thinner and paler than ever before. He decided not to confront Harry about it right then, though. Now wasn't the right time, and he hoped that maybe if Harry saw his friends he might cheer up a bit.

"I wonder where Ron and Hermione have gotten to," Arthur spoke up suddenly. "Neville and Ginny too, for that matter."

"Neville?" asked Harry in surprise. What was Neville doing here?

"Oh, yes, Dumbledore thought it wise to bring him here," Mr. Weasley replied nonchalantly. "I'm sure you can guess the reasoning for it." It was obvious. After what had happened in the Department of Mysteries, and because of who he was, of course the Death Eaters were out for Neville's blood as well as Harry's.

"What about Luna?" Harry asked abruptly, surprising even himself. "I mean…She was at the Department of Mysteries too…"

"Ah, Luna. Yes, Dumbledore thinks she should be here as well," answered Mr. Weasley. "Although she's on vacation with her father in Sweden, trying catch a 'Crumple-Horned Snorkack'." Mr. Weasley rolled his eyes. Harry vaguely remembered her saying something about that the previous school year. "She should be coming here sometime next week."

Harry nodded to show that he'd understood. For some reason the prospect of seeing Luna again made Harry feel a little more at ease. He remembered what she'd said to him during the feast at the end of last school year. Her words had helped him, a lot, and still did whenever he thought of them.

"Come on," said Mr. Weasley on a sudden change of topic. "Let's take your things upstairs. You'll be sharing the same room with Ron as last summer. Neville is bunking there too."

Each holding one end of the trunk, Harry and Mr. Weasley trudged up the stairs, Hedwig in tow. They reached the door to the boys' bedroom, both sore from the immense load. Harry could hear his friends' voices beyond the door, and was actually quite pleased by it. Harry realized just then how much he had missed his friends. Mr. Weasley opened the door, revealing the scene of Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny playing a game of Exploding Snap on Ron's bed.

"Harry!" screamed Hermione. She leapt off the bed and tackled Harry into a huge hug. Harry returned the gesture, very glad to see his friends again. Once he let go of Hermione he was immediately embraced by Ginny, just not quite as enthusiastically. Ginny had gotten over her shyness around Harry the previous year. He looked over to Ron and Neville, who had chosen not to hug him and preferred to grin at him from their seats on the bed. Harry smiled warmly back at them. The mere presence of his friends had caused Harry to temporarily forget his sorrow for the person missing.

"Hello, Harry," said Ron cheerfully. "How you been?"

"Well, I'll just leave you all to chat for a while," stated Mr. Weasley before leaving and closing the door.

"I'm pretty good now," said Harry, answering Ron's question. "I missed you guys."

"We missed you too, Harry," said Ginny. Harry smiled at her.

"So what happened the night you were attacked, Harry?" asked Ron eagerly. "You kicked some Death Eater arse, right?" This earned him a slap from Hermione.

"No, not exactly," replied Harry. " I was actually thrown to the ground and beaten before I could fight back. I'm fine now though," he added quickly at the worried expressions on his friends' faces.

"Wow," said Neville. "So they really just did that, eh? Just snuck up behind you and struck?"

"Yeah, pretty much," admitted Harry. "Hey, I've got a few questions. How did the Order know I was being attacked? Who fought off the Death Eaters? Who saved me?" he asked his friends. 'They were here,' he figured. 'They ought to know. Maybe I'll be able to figure who I thought was Sirius.'

"It was really scary," started Neville.

"All of us were in the kitchen, drinking butterbeer with Lupin and Moody and Tonks," said Hermione.

"Then there was this huge crack and Snape was there, Apparated I guess," said Ron.

"All he said was 'Potter's in trouble', and then they all Disapparated, Snape, Lupin, Moody and Tonks," finished Ginny.

'Snape?' thought Harry suddenly. 'No, it couldn't have been him who I thought was…'

"Oh, Harry, we were so worried," cried Hermione, cutting off Harry's thoughts. "When they got back there was an Order meeting. We caught Snape in the hall before the meeting though. When we asked him what happened, all he said was 'Death Eaters.' He didn't explain anything. Just scared us more!"

"Tonks told us that you were at Hogwarts and that you'd be okay though, after the meeting," said Ron casually, trying to lighten the mood. "So, Harry, how was rest of your summer? Muggles weren't too bad, were they?"

"Nah," laughed Harry. "They were too scared that Moody was going to turn them into caterpillars if they didn't behave." Harry decided not to tell them that his summer had actually sucked, seeing as he had spent most of it sulking over Sirius; thinking that his godfather was dead and wasn't coming back, all because of him.

They spent most of the day after that laughing and playing games and generally having a good time. After a fabulous lunch, courtesy of Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Ginny showed Harry a secluded field in the woods behind the house. There they played Quidditch until it was too dark to see anymore. Hermione and Neville came along to watch. Tonks came too, but Harry knew that she was guarding them. Surprisingly, this didn't bother him much. Harry found that as long as he was with his friends and doing something to occupy himself, he didn't think much about how he missed Sirius, and was feeling quite better. Good enough to smile, to laugh, to live again.

TBC

A/N: Sorry this took awhile. I'm sorry this was sort of boring too. I promise, the next chapter is that last of the boring one! It's not even that boring either (I just finished the draft). Next chapter's about the OWL results. I'm sorry to those of you who didn't want that, but it will be important to the story. Well, I think that's it for now. -Arili