Blinking, Harry found himself outside a quaint house, and across the street from a lush park. It was afternoon, and an ice cream truck was stationed nearby.

"HARRY!" Hermione's familiar voice screeched, and he looked up to see her racing toward him from the house. Harry stood and brushed himself off just in time to be enveloped in a heart hug from Hermione.

"Oh, we were so worried!" she cried, "The Weasleys were just coming to warn you, but they were too late! They saw Lucius and knew you were in trouble! Mrs. Weasley though the worst, and she's been sobbing all morning, and Mr. Weasley followed Lucius, and the twins snuck into your room and brought all your things - Oh Harry, you didn't even get to open my present! Anyway, I'm sure you'll like it this time. And what is that mirror? The twins nearly had a fit over it. Oh, Harry, come inside, my parents made lemonade - you're probably hungry and thirsty, aren't you? Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!" She stopped, looked at him, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Harry's stomach gave a little lurch, but before he had a chance to think about it, Hermione was grabbing his arm, and dragging him into the house.

All the Weasleys (except for Percy and Mr. Weasley) were crammed into the Granger's kitchen. Mrs. Granger was making lemonade by the sink, and Mr. Granger was smiling uncertainly as Ginny chattered about at him. The twins, and Bill and Charlie (both home for the summer), were comforting a very distraught Mrs. Weasley. When Hermione led Harry in, the room fell silent, and then everyone began talking at once. Harry grinned, glad to see all his friends. Mrs. Weasley burst into tears. Ginny ran up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek - but it did not produce the same effect in Harry that Hermione's had. Ron gave his sister an odd look, then turned to Harry and said, "You haven't opened your presents yet! C'mon! Wait til you see what we got you!"

"Oh, Ron! Let the boy settle in first," admonished Mrs. Weasley, giving Harry a robust hug, "Harry, dear, why don't I make your some lunch - oh, dear. I quite forgot I'm not at home. Julia, would you mind me bustling around in your kitchen?"

Mrs. Granger smiled and said, "Be my guest. Would you like me to show you how to use our "Muggle" cookware?"

Both mothers giggled, and shooed everyone out of the kitchen to begin making lunch.

"So," said Harry, sitting on the sofa, "What's been happening since summer started?"

Hermione said, "Krum came to visit" - Ron made a face - "Oh, Ron! He's just a chum!" - she turned back to Harry - "He said something might be going on at Durmstrang, but he didn't know what. We all know Viktor, not the brightest, so that was the most I could get out of him." She sighed, "It would have been nice to have an informant from Durmstrang. Oh well."

Harry sighed in agreement, Durmstrang, another wizard school besides Hogwarts, was famous for turning out Death Eaters.

"Anything else?" he asked, "I mean, with the Order?"

Ron shook his head, "We don't know, only it's not good," he said, "Mum and Dad made us come live over here in Muggleville -"

"It's not Muggleville!" said Hermione, "It's still London!" Ron paid no heed, but continued, " - just in case the attacks started again. But we've been out of the loop, so we don't know what's happening, only that the Order has been very busy, and we can't find out what's going on."

Harry looked at the twins, who were looking very self satisfied, and asked, "You mean even you two couldn't find anything out about the Order?"

The twins exchanged smug glances.

"We joined the Order," explained Fred.

"Mum had a fit," added George, "But Dumbledore said we needed all he members we could get. Mum said she already had two boys in the Order, and she wasn't giving another two -"

"Then Dad told Mum we could decide for ourselves, and they got in a blazing row, but, in the end, Dad and Dumbledore won out," concluded Fred.

"Mum didn't speak to Dad for a week," added Ginny.

"So what's happening with the Order, then?" asked Harry expectantly.

"Oh, we can't tell," said Fred.

"Top secret," said George.

Ron scowled, "They've been like this all summer. It's almost as bad as when Dumbledore made Percy Head Boy."

"Hey!" said George, "Don't you go comparing us to that gutless weasel!"

"That simpering idiot!"

"Bloated baffoon!"

Apparently, even Fudge's acknowledgement of Voldemort's return had not effected the Weasleys' relations with Percy. The twins continued with their raillery of insults until Hermione snapped at them about "Insulting Indulgences." Harry turned to Ron, who shrugged and said, "The twins have been working on a new candy, which helps you insult people rather colorfully."

"Red-faced reprobate!" yelled Fred.

"Good one," said George, and wrote it down. Hermione sighed exasperatedly, but the twins seemed to have settled down again. Harry was about to ask exactly how Petunia had gotten Hermione's address, or how the Weasley's had known something was going to happen to him or what hand Snape had in all this, but Mrs. Granger came into the room to tell the children lunch was ready.

Looking from Hermione to her mother, Harry could see a very clear family resemblance. Mrs. Granger was tall and thin, around forty-five, and quite pretty - in a natural sort of way. Her hair was a shade lighter than Hermione's chestnut brown, tied down in a secure braid which still could not disguise the fact that, had her hair been loose, it would have been just as thick and unruly as Hermione's own. She exuded quiet confidence and warmth, and seemed to be very easy going - Hermione must have gotten her perfectionist attitude from her father. It was apparent from looking at Mrs. Granger that Hermione had grown up in a very supportive environment.

Harry looked around for Mr. Granger, and found him sitting in a chair at a writing desk in the corner. He looked a little out of place, as might any muggle in the company of fairly unfamiliar wizards. He, too, was tall, and his dark brown was beginning to gray. Hermione went up to him, and, taking his hand, tried to pull him out of his seat and to the dining room. He looked about to make an excuse, but received one of Hermione's firm glances, and surrendered with a nervous grin. Hermione smiled warmly at him, and everyone filed into the dining room.