Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything in relation to J.K. Rowling's books!

A/N: I'm sooooo sry for telling everybody that they couldn't review! I completely forgot that forwards the reviews to your account on the website! I thought that if you couldn't receive the review by e-mail, you couldn't received it at all... sry, it completely slipped my mind... anyway, as the school year approaches for me, the progress of this story will decrease... in simpler terms, I will only be able to update in a matter of 4 or 5 days, give or take a few days... but, I'm planning to finish it near late August, and start my other fanfic that I mentioned in the last chapter! I don't think I mentioned it before, but thank you all for your kind reviews, and I will address that I'm glad that I have reviewers who come back to read any new developments. Thanks again, and keep those reviews coming!

Chapter 8: Return To King's Cross
Hedwig's hoots and twittering awoke Harry with a start, who waited for the familiar fluttering of Pig's hysteric flying, which never came. Harry placed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose and waited for his eyes to focus properly before he craned himself to sit upright. Relieved to finally be able-bodied to move without his head giving nasty throbs of protest, he came to find that Ron had already awoken and had drug his own trunk downstairs. Pig included was not there, and Harry focused on Hedwig, who ruffled her feathers as if delighted she had waken Harry. He frowned and staggered over to his trunk groggily and pulled out a forest green sweater and a pair of over sized jeans. He dressed and decided to endure carrying his own trunk downstairs into the parlor. He hoisted up the trunk and, tottering a bit from the weight of the trunk, started toward the door, and with much difficulty, wrenched open the door.
"Well, maybe you should mind yourself before you start on someone else!" Ron's voice echoed up the railing and reached Harry.
"You're not the only friend Harry has, Ron," Hermione's voice reached a higher pitch and seem to quiver, "I just wanted to know if he's all right!" he heard footsteps heading his direction and wished he'd sunk through the floor as Hermione clambered up the stairs. It had been him as the subject of their shouting and he felt a bit uncomfortable and awkward. "Oh, 'morning, Harry." she had noticed him standing their and smiled at him brightly and continued on her way.
"'Morning," he called after her as he too continued in his direction. Ron, who gave Harry a flicker of a glance as he reached the bottom, had flung himself into a wooden chair and smiled at him half- heartedly.
"'Morning," he muttered staring at the table that was crammed with plates of their breakfast.
"'Morning," Harry frowned, "You could've told her I was all right." he added, putting his trunk down by the stairs with a thud and helping himself to a chair next to Ron.
"That's not all she wanted to know," he muttered and crossed his arms onto the table and placed his chin on them and sighed, "She wanted to know if you said anything about what happened yesterday at Flourish and Blotts." he said breathlessly at noticing Harry's furrowed brows, who then shrugged.

"I don't mind if she asks," he said. He felt a little less delighted to be awake at the sudden clinch that his stomach gave as he recalled the event, for he didn't plan on discussing it anytime soon. "Where's everyone?" he asked, trying to transfer the subject of conversation.
"Ginny and Hermione are upstairs," he gestured to above his head as he heard a rather loud thunk, "Mum and Dad are at the Burrow..." he trailed off, "to explain- well, you know..." he mumbled timidly, "Of course, Dad already knew what happened, because the Ministry..." he looked up at him and formed a wry smile, "A reporter wrote about what happened at Flourish and Blotts in the Daily Prophet." he looked at Harry as though in fear that he might start shouting at him again, but Harry merely looked up from the food and shrugged lazily.
"It shouldn't be any different from last term, should it?" Harry mumbled miserably. He was not all too keen to forget the way they made him look like a "tragic hero" last term because he said he had fought and seen Voldemort, and Dumbledore believed him. It was Dumbledore who stood up for what Harry had said, and the Daily Prophet made them look like nutters. But, even though their claims had proven to be true, that Voldemort had come back, people still abominated him and Dumbledore because they were right. "We wouldn't want the Daily Prophet to run out of articles to right, eh?" he asked sarcastically.
"Don't worry about it, mate." he said as he passed Harry a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon.
Eventually, Hermione and Ginny joined them shortly after helping one another with dragging each other's trunks downstairs. They threw reproachful glances at him and Ron, obviously wanting some assistance with their trunks, as well as heaving some heavy sighs to get their attention. Hermione and Ginny sat down next to Harry, Hermione nearest him. Hermione threw him a side ways glance in a rather curt way, and Harry gave her and Ginny apologizing stares and Hermione smiled and nodded in understanding.
He and Hermione could always reach an understanding. Harry liked this about her; he could tell her some things he didn't feel comfortable telling Ron, and he didn't think Ron understood Hermione the way he did, for she stared at him the same crude way and received nothing from Ron. He often found himself over the summer thinking of her at random and wondered constantly why. I just miss her... he'd tell himself, for he did. Ron, though he didn't mention it, fancied Hermione, Harry had suspected and knew he couldn't really think of Hermione as more than a friend.
They finished their breakfast in general silence and every now and again, Hermione would try to start conversation.
"I didn't get chosen for Prefect again this year, I guess Dumbledore thinks we should give others a chance." she paused a moment, "I hope I get made Head Girl next term, though." Harry opened his mouth to answer but was cut off.
"I didn't either, so what?" Hermione narrowed her eyes on him and rolled her eyes at the ceiling. This was usual; Hermione and Ron would fight, Harry stuck in the middle, and then Ron would come crawling back, expecting her help with homework. Harry had addressed many times before that he didn't like to be in the middle of their fighting and Hermione seemed to choose her battles more often, for she didn't retaliate.
"Harry, did you get your O.W.L and N.E.W.T.s results yet from Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione tried again.
"No," Ron gruntled.
"I didn't ask you," she added plainly without giving him a glance from her food and Ron shrugged in return and Harry really wished he'd stop answering for him.
"I will when she gets back from the Burrow." Harry mentioned to try and continue the conversation. She looked up at him and nodded and flickered a glance at Ron.
Breakfast ended not too shortly afterwards and Tom the innkeeper cleared away the empty dishes and Harry went upstairs to retrieve Hedwig and put her in her cage for their return to King's Cross.
"I'll let you out as soon as we get to Hogwarts, girl." he whispered to her through the bars of her cage and she hooted as though she understood. He turned, Hedwig in her cage in hand, toward the door when Hermione, who held a purring Crookshanks in her arms, appeared in the doorway.
"Mrs. Weasley's back!" she grinned at him and waited for him to join her before they walked down the stairs. "Are you still wanting to be a Auror?" she asked as she scratched Crookshanks behind the ears down the stairs.
"Yeah," he said rather breathlessly, hoping she wouldn't say that she wanted to be an Auror too. He didn't want Ron or her to risk their lives as Aurors for him, they'd down enough risking for him, but he appreciated their loyalty. She nodded once and focused her gaze on Crookshanks, who had noticed that Hermione had stopped scratching his ears and stared back at her. She stopped abruptly in mid step and looked down at Crookshanks. Harry stopped and looked back up at her, wondering if she wanted him to speak first.
"Why did you laugh?" she looked up at him almost in a hurt way and stood there blankly. He really didn't feel too destined to talk about what had happened at Flourish and Blotts in a hurry.
"I dunno," he was now staring at his trainers and looked back at her hoping she'd leave it at that as she seemed to study his face in deep thought.
"You didn't even know you did, did you?" she asked.
"No," he answered feeling stupid. She looked down and continued to walk down the stairs. "I'm sorry that I did... If it makes you feel any better." he really hoped that this did make her feel better, he really hoped that he'd never do that again.
"Don't be sorry," she turned around as she was now a few more steps below than he was, "You just said yourself, you didn't know you did... But, yes, it does make me feel a bit better about it." she smiled faintly and continued down the stairs. He followed and was greeted at the bottom of the stairs by Mrs. Weasley, who was holding two envelopes and looking sternly at him.
"Here you are, Harry." she placed one of the envelopes with the Hogwarts seal on it and clutched the other one tighter as she notice his gaze upon it, "We'll be arriving at King's Cross by Ministry cars... again." Harry frowned a bit at remembering the uneventful ride to King's Cross in his third year by Ministry vehicles. But, why they were doing it again, Harry didn't know. He guessed it had something to do with what happened at Flourish and Blotts.
"Why, Mum?" Ginny asked, peering over her shoulder.
"Never you mind," she said rather coldly and by now, had gained not only Ginny's attention, but Hermione, Ron and Tom's as well. It became awfully quiet and everyone's gaze began to unnerve Harry. Mrs. Weasley turned on her heel and bustled out of the parlor entrance and into the streets of Diagon Alley.
"Harry, that's your O.W.L and N.E.W.T. results..." Ron pointed out. Harry looked down at the envelope and wished he'd had the other letter too. He peeled it open, and noticed for the first time that his index finger was wrapped in new bandages, and read the O.W.L results and N.E.W.T classes he was offered.

Dear Mr. Potter,
The following classes: Potions, Charms, Divination, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Astrology, and Herbology, are being offered for you in N.E.W.T. level this term.

The following grades are:

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Potions O

Charms O

Herbology A

Divination O

Transfiguration O

Astrology E

Care of Magical Creatures O

History of Magic O

The following classes: Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy are going to be added to your curriculum. Please send by owl the classes that you wish to attend in the N.E.W.T. level immediately.

Menerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry felt like Hermione with all these classes, and had no idea what kind of classes she had now.
"Well, what did you get?" Ron asked with earnest.
"Seven O.W.L.s," Harry passed his letter to Ron who scanned it interestedly.
"Oh, I only got six, I didn't get an O.W.L in History of Magic." he passed it to Hermione who scanned it with her finger and nodded unconsciously. "But, I did get all the N.E.W.T.s you got except Astrology."

"That's because you didn't study as persistent as Harry did," Hermione looked up from the letter and returned it to Harry.
"Hermione, I had as much free time to study as Ron did," he pointed out to Hermione, who looked taken aback.
"Yeah, we both had Quidditch," Ron said incredulously.
"Yes, but Harry was banned-no offense, Harry- and had extra time for studying," Hermione put her hands on her hips and inclined her neck toward Ron. "At least I'm hoping he actually studied and didn't cheat in some way..." she narrowed her gaze at Harry, who shook his head nervously.
"Well, not everyone wants to compete to be the world's best at everything." Ron turned with his back to Hermione and started toward the parlor entrance to follow Mrs. Weasley.
"I'm not..." Hermione whispered under her breath and joined Ginny as she stood in a corner in silence. The entrance reopened for the third time that morning and Ron walked up to Harry importantly.
"The Ministry cars are here," he said in a monotone that signaled he wasn't too delighted to ride in them again either. Harry gave short nod and Hermione and Ginny followed to collect their trunks that lay abandoned at the foot of the stairs. Hermione had some difficulty lifting her trunk that was more than likely to be more filled with books than clothes.
"Here," he took the trunk out of her grasp and headed suit for the parlor entrance into the outside. Hermione, after getting over his abrupt assistance, hurried her pace to follow him.
"You didn't have to do that," she whispered as though not wanting Mrs. Weasley, who was outside in hushed conversation with the driver, to hear.
"I wanted to, though. I should've helped you back at the Leaky Cauldron." he stopped in front of two cars with heavily tented windows and were the dark green as before. He frowned and opened the trunk of the car and placed the trunk in the back gingerly and turned to Hermione. "I think he can go in the back with us..." he gestured to Crookshanks, who was weaving in and out of Hermione's ankles. She nodded.
"Maybe Ron can join us as well." she said sarcastically. Harry snorted and noticed that Hermione had never really joked like that before. "What's the second car for?" she was now looking over his shoulder at the surplus vehicle, and, as if signaled, the car door flung open and Tonks, Lupin and Mad-eye filed out.
"Harry!" Lupin and Tonks grinned in unison. Lupin's robes were still the old and haggard and his hair grayed more noticeably, Tonks's hair was now blood shedding red that rivaled Hermione's cloak, and Moody still had the crooked expression of a frown.
"Potter," Mad-eye nodded at him and held out a scared hand, which Harry took. He withdrew his hand and nodded at Hermione, who smiled and he walked ahead into the Leaky Cauldron, soon followed by Mrs. Weasley.
"Don't mind him, he's not good with welcomes," Tonks took Harry into a hug and then turned to Hermione, "Hermione, how are you?" she hugged her and indulged her into deep and giggly conversation as they headed into the Leaky Cauldron.
"Women..." Lupin shook his head as though annoyed, "Anyway, nice to see you again, Harry." he too held out a hand and Harry took it and nodded.
"You too," said Harry and they followed into the Leaky Cauldron. Ron was heading out the door as they walked in and smiled at Lupin.
"Hello, Ron," Lupin said, "how're you?" he asked.
"Fine, you?" asked Ron.
"Fair," Ron nodded and continued outside. The room was in a roar of talk and when Harry entered, it seemed to cease slightly.
"Lupin, just wondering-er- why are we traveling by Ministry vehicles again?" Harry asked while choosing his words carefully. Lupin seemed to dodge the question and looked to want consider joining dragging trunks through the parlor but turned to him and looked at him sternly.
"I'm not the one to be answering that," he answered and Harry wanted to fling himself into a wall. He'd heard that one too many times that week and wanted to just get half a decent answer for once. He guessed they must be there to watch over them, because otherwise, they'd only need one car if Tonks, Mad-eye and Lupin weren't there. From what, he didn't know and he felt secluded like he was last summer. He gave Lupin a short nod and went to join Hermione and Ginny, who were the only ones not talking as though they were in a morgue. Ron came back in and left again carrying Ginny's trunk and giving her exasperated looks.
"Mum wanted Ron to carry my trunk, I didn't want him to do it." she said apologetically to Ron. He heaved both a heavy sigh and her trunk out the door, leaving Harry's trunk last along with Hedwig. He walked over to his trunk and went outside as Ron was coming in.
"She could've at least carried Pig out here..." he grutched, "Here..." Ron opened the trunk of the first car even wider and motioned him to put it in.
"Potter's trunk goes here," Mad-eye grunted behind them suddenly, and Harry wheeled around to see him pointing to the second car.
"But-" Ron started but didn't get to finish.
"No questions..." he hobbled over to the second car's trunk and opened it, "Here!" he jabbed a scared finger at the car's trunk. Harry and Ron exchanged looks and Ron shrugged in bewilderment. Harry placed his trunk into the car's trunk as everyone else filed out of the Leaky Cauldron and into the street. Harry went to join Ginny, Ron and Hermione but was stopped by Mad-eye. "You're riding with us, Potter." Harry felt his temper rise.
"Why?" he blurted.
"No questions!" he gave a wry sort of grin. He looked over at Hermione and Ron who gave him puzzled looks and was soon hurried into the vehicle by Mrs. Weasley. Lupin arrived by him and gave Harry Hedwig and cupped his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, Harry." he said and gave him a weak smile as Tonks bit her lip and grinned at him nervously, knowing Harry wanted to object. Temper rising, Harry flung the car door open and sat on the left of Mad-eye and right of Tonks, who sat on the right of Lupin and Mrs. Weasley sat in the front seat next to the driver.
The whole ride to King's Cross was just as uneventful as the last and Harry had to sit awkwardly in the back seat as they all gave him worried glances that studied him as though trying to interpret a attack he were to make. Hedwig hooted to get Harry's attention, but he simply stared straight ahead, dodging any glances to attempt to get his attention as well. Twenty- five to thirty minutes later, the vehicle came to a slow and steady stop and Lupin turned to him.
"Here we are, Harry..."

A/N: I know the progress in this story is really slow, but I will make it to Hogwarts eventually... But, we have to start a mysterious summer before we go on to Hogwarts...but, keep r/r!