Dear Harry,

There is no need to apologize, your actions were completely justifiable. I will schedule a time for us to talk in September if you still wish to then.

Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Harry folded the letter, smiling, and tucked it away with his other mail. Trust Dumbledore to be so understanding.

The next few weeks of summer passed in a happy blur for Harry, as he spent more time with Tegan, and thought less about Sirius's death. Of course he didn't think less about his godfather, but he found he could concentrate on the good things about him, rather that dwell on how much he missed him. He spent more time out of the Dursleys' house than he did in it, and he could tell that they were torn between having him gone most of the time, and having him enjoying his summer (not that there was much they could do, so they seemed to lean towards the former). Harry was strengthening his Seeking skills rapidly and learned as much he could from the training wizards and witches at the Centre, absorbing any new information like a sponge. He found Tegan to be quite a good player as well, favouring the Keeping position, and he wondered if she'd try out for the reserve team (as Ron was already Keeper for Gryffindor).

It was the beginning of August when Tegan dealt him yet another wonderful surprise. It was late afternoon and thankfully cooler than usual with overcast skies that threatened to pour on them at any moment. Still Tegan insisted they go out to the ragged old barns, so they made the journey as the day grew steadily darker. It was dusk by the time they reached the field, and Harry headed towards the main shabby building, but Tegan grabbed his hand and drug him towards one of the smaller ones. Confused, but curious, Harry followed eagerly as Tegan lead him through the doorway. Upon entering his senses were assaulted by some of the most wonderful smells that strongly reminded him of the feasts at Hogwarts. The room was dimly lit with candles and there was a band in the corner playing soft jazz on instruments like saxophones and trumpets and some very strange looking ones that Harry didn't recognize at all, but sounded very pretty. It was a very classy looking place with many tables that had squishy looking arm chairs next to them and a highly ornate bar that housed a few residents nursing their drinks, or talking animatedly. The overal mood was very relaxing, but cheery at the same time.

Grinning madly Tegan and Harry found a table and shortly a kindly looking witch came with menus. "Can I get you anything to drink, dears?" They both ordered butterbeers and the witch went to get them while they looked over their menus. Everything looked wonderful, especially compared to the food he'd been receiving at the Dursleys'.

Soon, they were both happily digging into their meals and sipping at bottles of butterbeer. "This is amazing, Tegan," Harry said. "What else is hidden in these buildings?"

Tegan merely gave him a lopsided grin, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "You'll have to wait and see, won't you?"

Smiling back, Harry realized then how very pretty Tegan was.

Throughout the next two weeks Tegan showed him the rest of the little village and had a great time exploring the sweet shop (where he bought loads of candies and showed them off to Dudley, who was still on his diet), clothing store (he found some handsome new robes to wear, as he really only had his dress ones and his Hogwarts ones), Quidditch supplies outlet (it took all of Harry's willpower not to spend all his money here, but he did get himself the brand new Quidditch Through the Ages: Second Edition and a pair of sleek gloves that would give him a better grip on his Firebolt, as well as keep his hands warm) and the Owelry (where he found some treats for Hedwig and a neat little charm that fit around her leg, that she rather enjoyed showing off). But even more than these Harry was enjoying the time spent with Tegan, and found himself liking her very much. She shadowed any thought he'd ever had of Cho Chang, and Harry was sure she might like him even just a tiny bit.

With only a week and a half of summer holidays left Harry received his Hogwarts letter with the supplies he'd need for that year, as well as a letter from Ron saying that he, Ginny and Hermione would be staying in London for the remaining week, and asked him to join them. He wrote back saying that he'd be there.

Tegan seemed a bit disappointed that Harry was leaving early (his heart leapt) and said that she had to go and get her school things, offering Harry a ride into the Leaky Cauldron with her and her Aunt and Uncle. The decided to go a day earlier than when Ron, Ginny and Hermione were to be there so they could wander Diagon Alley by themselves.

The Dursleys of course were happy to have him gone early and fairly kicked him out when Cid pulled up their driveway in an expensive looking sports car with Fran in the passenger seat and Tegan in the back. Harry was immensely pleased to see Uncle Vernon's jaw drop (if you could tell that it had with all the rolls he had under his chin) as Harry loaded his trunk into the back of the car.

"Well, I'll see you next summer, I suppose," Harry said merrily, climbing into the back seat with Tegan, Hedwig and Tegan's small screech owl.

Fran and Cid came into Diagon Alley with them, and they all had a sundae before heading off in different directions. First Tegan and Harry went to Gringotts to take more money out, and then spent a pleasant day collecting everything they'd need for the school year. The saw quite a few students from Hogwarts, all of whom who greeted Harry, but Tegan didn't seem to know any of them. Perhaps she was very shy and didn't have many friends, Harry thought. Although he thought he saw her wave briefly to a Slytherin girl their age, but it might have a been a trick of the eye, so he forgot about it. If Tegan didn't have many friends now, that would change when they got back to Hogwarts.

They passed Fred and George's shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and would have stopped in to say hi, but the store was packed full and the twins were looking too busy for even a wave, so Harry vowed to see them sometime later that week.

The day darkened and Frank and Cid caught up with them near Quality Quidditch Supplies, saying that they'd have to be off. They strolled casually back to the Leaky Cauldron, not talking much, but comfortable in the silence. When it came time to say goodbye though, Cid and Fran gushed at how much of a pleasure it was to have spent the summer with Harry and made him promise to visit next summer. Tegan rolled her eyes at their antics, but smiled good naturedly. Her aunt and uncle shook his hand one last time before heading back out to the car calling to Harry that 'they were just down the street!'. Tegan strayed behind a bit, and Harry was glad for a moment alone.

"I'll see you on the train then?" He asked.

Tegan shook his head. "I doubt it, I've got to be with the prefects." Right, Harry'd forgotten that she'd been made prefect and would be in one of the front compartments. "But I'll try to stop by if I can, okay?"

Harry nodded, "If not I'll see you at school."

"Right." The stood awkwardly for a moment, before Harry got up the courage, leaned in and gave Tegan a quick kiss before heading up to his room. He knew he was blushing furiously, but he'd seen a smile on Tegan's face before he'd left, and couldn't stop grinning as he undressed and got into bed.

The next morning a knock at the door woke him and before Harry could answer Ron came in, his freckled face split into a grin. "Mornin' Harry!" Harry grunted a sleepy reply, but was happy to see his friend. Ron had finally started to fill out, and his didn't look quite as gangly as he had nearly two months ago. "Hurry up and get dressed, everyone's here for breakfast," Ron said, and dug through Harry chest and shoved a set of Harry's new robes at him when he didn't move fast enough. Quickly, Harry pulled them on and, checking his hair in the mirror (which told him that there was no use in even bothering to look, it'd always stand up like that) followed Ron downstairs.

When Ron had said everyone, he really meant everyone. Mr and Mrs Weasley were there, chatting amiably with their eldest sons, Bill and Charlie. The mischievous twins Fred and George were there also, slipping something Harry couldn't see into Bill's eggs. Ginny and Hermione were deeply engrossed in a mouldy looking book, while Crookshanks stole bits of food from their plates while they weren't looking. The only Weasley that wasn't there was Percy, whom Harry assumed was still at odds with his family. Lupin and Tonks were in some sort of heated debate, while Moody and Shacklebolt listened with interest. All in all, their noisy table (or tables as a few had been pushed together to accommodate everyone) took up a good majority of the room at the Leaky Caldron, which had become a very loud, cheery place suddenly.

"Morning Harry!" It was Charlie who called to him and motioned him to a vacant chair next to him. "About time you got up."

Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly ordered a large breakfast for him, while the others at the table took their turn greeting him. And to his delighted surprise many gave him belated birthday gifts and cards (although he avoided opening Fred and Georges' until he knew for sure what was in it). Breakfast was a very pleasant time and lasted long enough that it was late morning by the time they all cleared out, heading into Diagon Alley. Harry'd already bought all his supplies, but he went with Ron, Hermione and Ginny while they got theirs.

"Hey Ginny?" Harry pulled her aside while Ron and Hermione were purchasing their new books for that year. "Tegan Vakt, how well do you know her?"

"Who?"

Harry repeated the name, blinking a bit in confusion. "She's a Gryffindor in your year."

Shaking her head, Ginny shrugged. "The only Tegan in my year is in Slytherin, but her last name Lucaydo. Are you sure you've got the right name?"

"Yea, I think so." Harry shrugged also, and dropped the subject, thoroughly confused. Perhaps he'd heard wrong and Tegan was in a different year? Or maybe Tegan was a nick name she went by at home. With a shake of his head he pushed Tegan from his mind (as well as he could anyway; how could he not think about her?). He'd have to ask her when he saw her at school.