Neither the rest of the Weasleys or the cab was there. Only a single old-fashioned green car waited in front of the Dursleys' drive way. Harry recognized this car as one of the Ministry of Magic cars. Harry didn't even need to ask why they were using a Ministry car, given that, because of the recent events he imagined he was going to be closely watched by The Order.


Outside of the car awaited two other people. One of them came and immediately greeted Harry.

"Hello there, Harry!" She had no longer bright, bubble-gum-pink hair, but she had now seemed to settle for a more discreet-looking blue color, which clashed oddly with the pair of ripped jeans and bright red shirt she was wearing at the moment.

"Hello, Tonks!" Said Harry as she gave him a one-armed hug.

"Everything going well?" Tonks asked.

"Yes…just fine." Harry lied.

"I'm glad to hear that, Harry" Said Remus Lupin as he shook hands with Harry.

He looked as pale and as sick as one could possibly look with out being actually dead. It seemed that the past few months had been as hard for Lupin as they had been for Harry. Still he seemed cheerful enough to manage a smile.
Harry; suddenly felt a rush of sympathy towards Lupin as he remembered how much they actually had in common.

"Well I think we should be going now, Harry dear." Said Mrs. Weasley as she walked towards them. Harry looked back to the Dursley house from which the faces of Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were visible. Harry was very accustomed to seeing Aunt Petunia spying through the curtains, but Uncle Vernon just looked down right odd. Harry just shook his head.

 " Yes we probably should be going."


All five of them entered the car, which was more spacious on the inside than what you might have guessed it was from looking at the outside of it.
Harry sat between Tonks and Ron and when everybody was ready, Lupin told the driver:
"To Diagon Alley, please."

_______________

None of them spoke much during the trip to Diagon Alley. Harry liked this since it meant he didn't have to answer many questions from Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Lupin or Tonks. He was, however, expecting for someone to tell him why he hadn't been taken away from the Dursleys' like promised. But deep down Harry knew that being at the Burrow meant being around people all the time, which didn't suit Harry at all at the moment. Most of the time he was at the Dursley's; he spent on his room by himself. He hardly left the house at all on the summer, since he didn't have much energy to do anything that required physical effort. Not that Harry minded much… he seem to like being alone lately…

Drifting Harry away from his thoughts, the Ministry car came to a halt. Lupin was the first out of the vehicle; he looked at both sides of the street, his hand clenched on the inside of his robes, clearly holding his wand firmly. Finally, he moved aside and allowed the others to exit the vehicle as well. They all quickly entered the Leaky Cauldron and didn't stop walking until they reached the Diagon Alley.

Diagon Alley, as usual, was packed with people. Most of the people were Hogwarts students doing last minute shopping.

"Harry, dear, did you bring the key to your Gringotts vault?" asked Mrs.Weasley sweetly as they reached the entrance to the bank.
"Yes, Mrs.Weasley" Harry told her as he showed her the key.
" Then, lets go on and get your money, dear." They all entered the bank and exited it around half an hour later with their pockets slightly heavier than before.

"What about going to Flourish and Blotts first?" Asked Mrs. Weasley. Both Ron and Harry nodded. Harry looked down at his list for the first time.

The new books included:

The Superior Guide to Complex Transfiguration by Aegina Mattendale; Clarifying the Third Eye by Celeste Augustus; The Book of Ultimate Defense: Resistance for Precarious Times by Scarlet McGregor.  


Suddenly, a sense of curiosity spread across Harry's mind. He turned to Lupin, who was walking close behind him.


"Erm... Who is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" He was half expecting and certainly wishing he were to respond 'Me', but he never heard the answer, as they soon reached Flourish and Blotts.

 "Hurry in Harry…" was all he said before he faintly pushed Harry inside the store.

Harry got his books with minimum difficulties and quickly went to get new robes and the rest of his school supplies. Within a few hours they were done with their shopping and they all decided to have lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry was very hungry since he barely had any breakfast at all. He entered the Leaky Cauldron quickly and waited for Mrs. Weasley to select a table, but that wasn't necessary as he heard his name being called.

"Harry!! Ron!! Over here!!" Said Hermione Granger from a table nearby. Harry unconsciously noticed that she was looking quite good-looking. Ron seemed to have thought the same because he stared at her open-mouthed for a second before blushing when he noticed Harry's eyes on him.

They both walked towards the table, smiling. Hermione quickly went over to Harry and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Harry!! Great to finally see you! I thought next time I saw you would be at the train!" Said Hermione smiling. Harry also noticed that her hair seemed less bushy than usual. There was just something strange about Hermione. She looked…different.

But different in a good way. Harry looked over at Ron who had an expression of complete contentment upon his now very red face as Hermione greeted him with a kiss on the cheek as she had done with Harry.

_______________

"Hello Ron…" Harry noticed that Hermione was blushing as well; Harry shook his head at his friends' pathetic attempts to hide how much they liked each other… the way they always argued about the silliest things and Ron's jealousy made it so obvious.

"Are you boys on your way out?" asked Hermione as she slowly recovered her normal color.

 
"No. Actually, we came here to have lunch." -answered Harry "What are you doing here anyways? Did you buy your school supplies already?


"I'm here for lunch as well… my parents went to change some muggle money to pay for it. I expect them to come back soon…and I bought my school supplies ages ago!! I don't know what took you guys so long! Honestly…" she rolled her eyes a bit.


"Well… I've been… busy …haven't got the chance to bring the boys earlier…" Said Mrs. Weasley as she sat down at the table. Harry was almost certain that she had been "busy" with The Order. "The food will be here very soon. I suppose you boys are hungry." Both Ron and Harry nodded happily at these words.

Hermione's parents came back from Gringotts shortly afterwards and joined the group for dinner along with Tonks and Lupin.


"Oh and Harry," Said Lupin "We will be taking you back to your Uncle's as soon as we're done eating…before it gets too late…"


Harry's appetite completely vanished after this.