Ch 5- Home Again
Three days before the start of term, Sirius had to leave headquarters where the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, and himself had been staying for the past four days. The house was now completely fit for human habitation. The house was also now without Kreacher, Sirius's old House Elf, because Remus Lupin, Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody had decided that it was best if they decapitated him and hang his head on the wall with his former relatives, seeing as he had been apart of the plot to kill his master. Not that anyone had told Hermione, who was still involved with SPEW. The house was also without its former less appealing resident, a very realistic, life-size portrait of Sirius' Mother, which screamed at the top of its lungs whenever it was disturbed. Sirius had explained to Harry, Hermione, and Ron that when they reached Hogwarts in three days time, they must act as if they only met this summer. "This is very important because Jeremy had only joined the Order recently, and I don't particularly want Snivelus to know that I am a walk in.," said Sirius, after he had called them to meet him in his mother's old bedroom. "No one else is to know who I really am; other wise mayhem could break loose. I will tell all students that I am teaching that I am Sirius Black's brother. Will you three be taking Defence against the Dark Arts as a senior subject?" "Yes Sirius, and the next two years are essential to our NEWT's. Ron, Harry and I expect all lessons to be constantly up to standard, even over." "Speak for yourself Hermione." "Sirius, we will love any lesson you come up with, won't we Hermione?" said Harry, glancing at Hermione sternly. "Thanks Harry. Well, I'd better be getting ready to go." "Why do you have to go so early?" asked Harry, unhappy that he couldn't ride the Hogwarts Express with his Godfather. "Harry, I have to go now to prepare everything with Dumbledore," said Sirius. "I also have to arrange my first lesson for four days time. I'd better go and get ready to go then, I'll be leaving soon."
After Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Lupin had seen Sirius off, all that were returning to Hogwarts decided to re-pack their trunks. It was truly amazing how far their belongings had spread over the house over the four days they had been staying at Headquarters. It took the rest of the day, and half of the next to get organized.
On their second last day at the Order's Headquarters, Harry, Ron, and Hermione received their OWL grades. Needless to say Hermione was top of the class. "Herbololgy, I got an 'E', Potions, I got an 'O', Transfiguration, I got an 'O'," said Hermione, making to sit on Ron's bed in his and Harry's room. "Charms, another 'O', Care of Magical Creatures, 'O', History of Magic, an 'O', Arithmacy, 'O', and Defence Against the Dark Arts, 'O'. How did you two go?" asked Hermione, as Harry and Ron stared at her, open mouthed. "Hermione, how did you do so well?" asked Ron, sitting next to her. "Study, Study, Study Ronald. What did you get?" "Alright. Divination, a 'P', but that's okay I didn't like it anyway, ah, Herbology, an 'A', Potions, Surprisingly an 'E', Transfiguration, 'O', um, Charms, 'O', Care of magical Creatures... wow, an 'O', History of Magic... a 'E', and Defence against the Dark Arts, 'O'. How did you do Harry?" "Divination, a 'A', but I don't even like it anyway, Herbology, an 'A', Potions, an 'O', amazingly, Transfiguration, 'O', Charms, 'E'," he said, sitting on his bed, his eyes fixed on the result sheet. "Care of magical Creatures, 'O', History of Magic, an 'P', and Defence against the Dark Arts, 'O'." "That's good Harry! Now I got... six O's, and one E," said Hermione, writing all the scores down on the back of her results, while Ron goggled at them over her shoulder. "Harry got... four 'O's, one 'E', two 'A's and a 'P'... and Ron got four 'O's, two 'E's, one 'A', and a 'P'. " "Well I only failed History of Magic, and that's okay, because I wasn't planning to do it at NEWT level any way. I'm a bit surprised that I got an 'O' in potions though." "Well I'm surprised that I didn't get an 'O' for Herbology," said Hermione indignantly. "But otherwise, I am very happy with everything. Harry, can I borrow Hedwig to write to Mum and Dad?" "Yeah, go for it," said Harry, leaning back on his pillows, utterly pleased with himself. "You happy with your marks then Ron?" Harry asked. "Yeah. I s'pose. I mean, I did the best I could. You couldn't really help failing History of Magic, with the...interruption..." Ron said awkwardly. "Interrupting your exam. I mean, it couldn't be helped mate." "Hey, I'm not complaining. I really don't mind at all. It was potions that I thought I would fail. I am very surprised that I did that well." "You know what this proves?" asked Ron slyly. "What does it prove?" asked Harry warily. "It proves that it's Snape's teaching, not us that's been failing all these years!"
The last night at Headquarters Mrs. Weasley made a banquet of food for everyone, and most of the Order made an appearance. "Professor Lupin, can you please pass the potatoes?" asked Harry in the middle of dinner. "Of course Harry, but please, call me Remus now that I am not your teacher anymore," said Lupin, passing Harry the large dish. "Sorry Remus," said Harry awkwardly, receiving the dish. "No problem Harry," Remus smiled. "So, what are you three planning to be when you leave school?" asked Tonks who was sitting opposite Hermione, Ron and Harry. "Well, I want to be an Aurour," said Harry quietly. "Really? I'd see you around the office! Wow, it'd be so cool! I could probably give you your exam! How about you two?" "Well, I think I'd like to be a healer," said Hermione, "or work in Muggle Relations." "You'd be good at them. Try a bit of everything," advised Tonks. "How about you Ron?" "I was thinking...well, I mean... maybe..." "Come on Ron, we told you ours," said Harry. "Oh, alright, but you have to promise you wont laugh..." "Yes Ron! Come on!" "Okay... I want to work in the department of Mysteries," said Ron, his ears going red. "Ron... that would be so cool! You could do so much! Cool!" said Tonks. "Yeah Ron, that would be so fun!" said Harry reassuringly. "Well, I got the idea when we went onto the department the end of last year. I kept wondering what was behind all the other doors," grinned Ron. "Wow, Ron, I wish I had thought of that!" said Hermione. "Well Hermione, it's not too late to change your mind," said Ron egotistically, turning back to his dinner. "Well then," said Hermione, eyebrows nearly disappearing into her hair, "Humph!" Harry thought happily of Hogwarts as he turned back to his food. "Ron, Hermione, do you think that Dumbledore will let us continue the DA?" wondered Harry aloud. "Yeah, I reckon he would mate. I mean, the whole DA got top marks in Defence against the Dark arts in exams last year." said Ron. "I'm sure he'll let us continue it. Sirius isn't going to be opposed or anything. He'll probably join in with everything we're doing. But we'd better ask anyway." Harry agreed with Ron, but he still wasn't sure. Could the DA be classified as a health hazard? Harry kept that thought to himself, and nodded along with Hermione. "Harry, what do you think will happen with your Occulmency lessons? Do you think that Dumbledore will make you take them with Snape again?" asked Hermione worriedly. "Nah, he wouldn't," said Ron, "I mean what with the things that happened with Snape last time. I reckon he'll teach it to Harry himself." Harry wasn't quite sure about what Ron had said, and he mulled over it as he walked up to bed. "Ron, if Dumbledore wanted me to learn Occulmency so badly in the first place, why didn't he teach it to me himself?" asked Harry, opening the door to their room. "Well, there was that You-Know..." Ron broke off at the look on Harry's face, "V-Voldemort thing. I s'pose Dumbledore knew about how he was sort of tapping into your thoughts." he said, sinking onto his bed slowly. "Then, can Voldemort still do that? When I look at Dumbledore will I still feel like I hate him?" asked Harry, starting to hate himself for his circumstances. "Well, you talked to him, didn't you? At the end of last term? Did you feel it then?" asked Ron, stretching out on his bed, and staring at the ceiling. Harry didn't answer. To tell the truth, Harry hadn't really thought about that night. He didn't let himself.
At the end of this, either me or Voldemort will die... He hadn't thought about this for the whole summer. He hadn't let himself. He'd told Ron and Hermione about the prophecy, but it still didn't help.
"Harry?" asked Ron's nervous voice, spearing into Harry's thoughts. "Harry?" "No. I didn't. But that may have been because I was so angry at Dumbledore, and myself," said Harry, suddenly not looking forward to going back to Hogwarts as much as he was before. "Well, we'll just have to wait to find out. Anyway, I was going to give you this the other day. Ginny made it when she was in first year. I found it when I was looking for my copy of Magical Me in her trunk." Ron handed Harry a small book. On the cover it said Harry, I am here. He opened the book, now oblivious to Ron, who had moved from his bed, onto Harry's. "I didn't look through it, I thought you might want to do the honours. I can't believe she still carries something like that." Harry gazed at the red-brown cover, and didn't know why he was hesitating to open it. Maybe because it was Ginny's. Ginny. She wouldn't like it if Harry went through her things. She probably wouldn't talk to him for years. Harry wondered why this bothered him. "Harry?" Harry jumped. He had forgotten that Ron was sitting right beside him. "Are you okay? You just sort of, blanked out. Well, I s'pose we're all tired," said Ron, the little book in Harry's hands seemingly forgotten. Harry nodded. "We've got to get up early in the morning, I might go to bed," said Ron, yawning. "Yeah. School," said Harry, glad that he didn't have to think up an excuse not to open Ginny's book. He didn't know why he cared so much.
The next day dawned clear, and beautiful, and it looked like they were finally going to ride the Hogwarts Express on a clear day. They arrived at Kings Cross station without hassle, and disappeared through the barrier, onto platform 9 ¾. Harry had kept the little red-brown book in his pocket since they left the Order's Headquarters, his plan being to slip it back into Ginny's trunk when she wasn't looking. This proved to be harder than Harry thought. Every time he tried to open Ginny's trunk, she appeared at its side, and Harry had to pretend that he was just brushing some dirt off the lid.
They boarded the train, said goodbye to Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; and Remus, and they were off. Back to Hogwarts. Home again.
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Three days before the start of term, Sirius had to leave headquarters where the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, and himself had been staying for the past four days. The house was now completely fit for human habitation. The house was also now without Kreacher, Sirius's old House Elf, because Remus Lupin, Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody had decided that it was best if they decapitated him and hang his head on the wall with his former relatives, seeing as he had been apart of the plot to kill his master. Not that anyone had told Hermione, who was still involved with SPEW. The house was also without its former less appealing resident, a very realistic, life-size portrait of Sirius' Mother, which screamed at the top of its lungs whenever it was disturbed. Sirius had explained to Harry, Hermione, and Ron that when they reached Hogwarts in three days time, they must act as if they only met this summer. "This is very important because Jeremy had only joined the Order recently, and I don't particularly want Snivelus to know that I am a walk in.," said Sirius, after he had called them to meet him in his mother's old bedroom. "No one else is to know who I really am; other wise mayhem could break loose. I will tell all students that I am teaching that I am Sirius Black's brother. Will you three be taking Defence against the Dark Arts as a senior subject?" "Yes Sirius, and the next two years are essential to our NEWT's. Ron, Harry and I expect all lessons to be constantly up to standard, even over." "Speak for yourself Hermione." "Sirius, we will love any lesson you come up with, won't we Hermione?" said Harry, glancing at Hermione sternly. "Thanks Harry. Well, I'd better be getting ready to go." "Why do you have to go so early?" asked Harry, unhappy that he couldn't ride the Hogwarts Express with his Godfather. "Harry, I have to go now to prepare everything with Dumbledore," said Sirius. "I also have to arrange my first lesson for four days time. I'd better go and get ready to go then, I'll be leaving soon."
After Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Lupin had seen Sirius off, all that were returning to Hogwarts decided to re-pack their trunks. It was truly amazing how far their belongings had spread over the house over the four days they had been staying at Headquarters. It took the rest of the day, and half of the next to get organized.
On their second last day at the Order's Headquarters, Harry, Ron, and Hermione received their OWL grades. Needless to say Hermione was top of the class. "Herbololgy, I got an 'E', Potions, I got an 'O', Transfiguration, I got an 'O'," said Hermione, making to sit on Ron's bed in his and Harry's room. "Charms, another 'O', Care of Magical Creatures, 'O', History of Magic, an 'O', Arithmacy, 'O', and Defence Against the Dark Arts, 'O'. How did you two go?" asked Hermione, as Harry and Ron stared at her, open mouthed. "Hermione, how did you do so well?" asked Ron, sitting next to her. "Study, Study, Study Ronald. What did you get?" "Alright. Divination, a 'P', but that's okay I didn't like it anyway, ah, Herbology, an 'A', Potions, Surprisingly an 'E', Transfiguration, 'O', um, Charms, 'O', Care of magical Creatures... wow, an 'O', History of Magic... a 'E', and Defence against the Dark Arts, 'O'. How did you do Harry?" "Divination, a 'A', but I don't even like it anyway, Herbology, an 'A', Potions, an 'O', amazingly, Transfiguration, 'O', Charms, 'E'," he said, sitting on his bed, his eyes fixed on the result sheet. "Care of magical Creatures, 'O', History of Magic, an 'P', and Defence against the Dark Arts, 'O'." "That's good Harry! Now I got... six O's, and one E," said Hermione, writing all the scores down on the back of her results, while Ron goggled at them over her shoulder. "Harry got... four 'O's, one 'E', two 'A's and a 'P'... and Ron got four 'O's, two 'E's, one 'A', and a 'P'. " "Well I only failed History of Magic, and that's okay, because I wasn't planning to do it at NEWT level any way. I'm a bit surprised that I got an 'O' in potions though." "Well I'm surprised that I didn't get an 'O' for Herbology," said Hermione indignantly. "But otherwise, I am very happy with everything. Harry, can I borrow Hedwig to write to Mum and Dad?" "Yeah, go for it," said Harry, leaning back on his pillows, utterly pleased with himself. "You happy with your marks then Ron?" Harry asked. "Yeah. I s'pose. I mean, I did the best I could. You couldn't really help failing History of Magic, with the...interruption..." Ron said awkwardly. "Interrupting your exam. I mean, it couldn't be helped mate." "Hey, I'm not complaining. I really don't mind at all. It was potions that I thought I would fail. I am very surprised that I did that well." "You know what this proves?" asked Ron slyly. "What does it prove?" asked Harry warily. "It proves that it's Snape's teaching, not us that's been failing all these years!"
The last night at Headquarters Mrs. Weasley made a banquet of food for everyone, and most of the Order made an appearance. "Professor Lupin, can you please pass the potatoes?" asked Harry in the middle of dinner. "Of course Harry, but please, call me Remus now that I am not your teacher anymore," said Lupin, passing Harry the large dish. "Sorry Remus," said Harry awkwardly, receiving the dish. "No problem Harry," Remus smiled. "So, what are you three planning to be when you leave school?" asked Tonks who was sitting opposite Hermione, Ron and Harry. "Well, I want to be an Aurour," said Harry quietly. "Really? I'd see you around the office! Wow, it'd be so cool! I could probably give you your exam! How about you two?" "Well, I think I'd like to be a healer," said Hermione, "or work in Muggle Relations." "You'd be good at them. Try a bit of everything," advised Tonks. "How about you Ron?" "I was thinking...well, I mean... maybe..." "Come on Ron, we told you ours," said Harry. "Oh, alright, but you have to promise you wont laugh..." "Yes Ron! Come on!" "Okay... I want to work in the department of Mysteries," said Ron, his ears going red. "Ron... that would be so cool! You could do so much! Cool!" said Tonks. "Yeah Ron, that would be so fun!" said Harry reassuringly. "Well, I got the idea when we went onto the department the end of last year. I kept wondering what was behind all the other doors," grinned Ron. "Wow, Ron, I wish I had thought of that!" said Hermione. "Well Hermione, it's not too late to change your mind," said Ron egotistically, turning back to his dinner. "Well then," said Hermione, eyebrows nearly disappearing into her hair, "Humph!" Harry thought happily of Hogwarts as he turned back to his food. "Ron, Hermione, do you think that Dumbledore will let us continue the DA?" wondered Harry aloud. "Yeah, I reckon he would mate. I mean, the whole DA got top marks in Defence against the Dark arts in exams last year." said Ron. "I'm sure he'll let us continue it. Sirius isn't going to be opposed or anything. He'll probably join in with everything we're doing. But we'd better ask anyway." Harry agreed with Ron, but he still wasn't sure. Could the DA be classified as a health hazard? Harry kept that thought to himself, and nodded along with Hermione. "Harry, what do you think will happen with your Occulmency lessons? Do you think that Dumbledore will make you take them with Snape again?" asked Hermione worriedly. "Nah, he wouldn't," said Ron, "I mean what with the things that happened with Snape last time. I reckon he'll teach it to Harry himself." Harry wasn't quite sure about what Ron had said, and he mulled over it as he walked up to bed. "Ron, if Dumbledore wanted me to learn Occulmency so badly in the first place, why didn't he teach it to me himself?" asked Harry, opening the door to their room. "Well, there was that You-Know..." Ron broke off at the look on Harry's face, "V-Voldemort thing. I s'pose Dumbledore knew about how he was sort of tapping into your thoughts." he said, sinking onto his bed slowly. "Then, can Voldemort still do that? When I look at Dumbledore will I still feel like I hate him?" asked Harry, starting to hate himself for his circumstances. "Well, you talked to him, didn't you? At the end of last term? Did you feel it then?" asked Ron, stretching out on his bed, and staring at the ceiling. Harry didn't answer. To tell the truth, Harry hadn't really thought about that night. He didn't let himself.
At the end of this, either me or Voldemort will die... He hadn't thought about this for the whole summer. He hadn't let himself. He'd told Ron and Hermione about the prophecy, but it still didn't help.
"Harry?" asked Ron's nervous voice, spearing into Harry's thoughts. "Harry?" "No. I didn't. But that may have been because I was so angry at Dumbledore, and myself," said Harry, suddenly not looking forward to going back to Hogwarts as much as he was before. "Well, we'll just have to wait to find out. Anyway, I was going to give you this the other day. Ginny made it when she was in first year. I found it when I was looking for my copy of Magical Me in her trunk." Ron handed Harry a small book. On the cover it said Harry, I am here. He opened the book, now oblivious to Ron, who had moved from his bed, onto Harry's. "I didn't look through it, I thought you might want to do the honours. I can't believe she still carries something like that." Harry gazed at the red-brown cover, and didn't know why he was hesitating to open it. Maybe because it was Ginny's. Ginny. She wouldn't like it if Harry went through her things. She probably wouldn't talk to him for years. Harry wondered why this bothered him. "Harry?" Harry jumped. He had forgotten that Ron was sitting right beside him. "Are you okay? You just sort of, blanked out. Well, I s'pose we're all tired," said Ron, the little book in Harry's hands seemingly forgotten. Harry nodded. "We've got to get up early in the morning, I might go to bed," said Ron, yawning. "Yeah. School," said Harry, glad that he didn't have to think up an excuse not to open Ginny's book. He didn't know why he cared so much.
The next day dawned clear, and beautiful, and it looked like they were finally going to ride the Hogwarts Express on a clear day. They arrived at Kings Cross station without hassle, and disappeared through the barrier, onto platform 9 ¾. Harry had kept the little red-brown book in his pocket since they left the Order's Headquarters, his plan being to slip it back into Ginny's trunk when she wasn't looking. This proved to be harder than Harry thought. Every time he tried to open Ginny's trunk, she appeared at its side, and Harry had to pretend that he was just brushing some dirt off the lid.
They boarded the train, said goodbye to Fred, George, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; and Remus, and they were off. Back to Hogwarts. Home again.
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