Harry walked back upstairs to the bedroom he was going to be sharing with Ron for the rest of the summer. Ron and Ginny were going to be staying at Grimmauld place until term started, under Remus' care, while their parents worked for the order. Hermione's parents had also left her in the care of Remus.

When Harry entered the room, he found Hermione and Ron sitting on Ron's bed, and Ginny on Harry's. He raised an eyebrow at them.

"So", said Ginny, raising an eyebrow in return. "Are you going to tell us, or do we have to force it out of you?"

Harry laughed. "How did I know you guys would be wanting to know everything?" He sat down on the bed next to Ginny. "That was a lady called Ailey Cooper. She went to school with my parents, and then worked with my mum as an Unspeakable." Harry thought the fact that she was an Unspeakable sounded rather impressive. Hermione, however, voiced a question that clearly all three of them were dying to know the answer to.

"Yes, but why does she look like that?" she asked. "Is she completely...human?"

Harry laughed again, "Apparently. I'm not sure that she looks like that all the time. Remus said she's a really powerful metamorphagus."

"Wow", breathed Ron. Hermione and Ginny looked thoughtful.

"She must be really really powerful", said Hermione, "To be able to keep her hair changing colour, and have her eyes like that." Harry nodded in agreement.

"So then why did you start shouting?" asked Ginny. "And don't pretend that you don't know exactly what I'm talking about." Harry rolled his eyes, and proceeded to tell them about why he lost his temper, and about how he had apologized. He had just finished his story when he heard a tapping at the window.

Harry turned, and saw a big brown owl sitting on the windowsill, with three letters attached to its leg. Harry crossed the room and let the owl in, where Hermione proceeded to remove it's burden. Looking at the letters, she froze.

"What?" asked Ron and Harry simultaneously, going to look over her shoulder at the letters. There were 3, one each addressed to Ron, Hermione, and Harry, with the Hogwarts symbol on the back. Underneath the symbol were two very neatly printed words. OWL Results.

Harry and Ron reached out shaking hands to grab their letters, and then all 3 of them stood staring at them for a long time.

"For god's sake!" said Ginny, exasperated. "If you don't open them soon, I'll open them for you!" Ron, Hermione and Harry promptly started opening their letters. Harry's read;

Dear Mr. Potter,

Below are the results for your OWL examinations. Please read them carefully, and note that the subjects you will be permitted to take as a NEWT class depend on these results. The key to you grades is as follows; OOutstanding, EExceeds expectations, AAcceptable, PPoor, DDreadful.

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Transfiguration: O

Herbology: O

Divination: D

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Astronomy: A

History of Magic: P

Potions: O

Charms: O

Harry starred. How on earth had he managed to even pass potions, let alone get an O? Once he thought about it, he realized the exam had been a lot easier without Snape leering at him like he always did in class. He did better in astronomy then he thought he would, but his marks in divination and History of Magic were about what he was expecting.

You should note that you are expected to undertake 5 NEWT classes, and it would be best if you chose those subjects where you got better marks. Please send an owl to your head of house as soon as possible with a list of the 5 NEWT classes you wish to take.

Congratulations on your results,

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall.

All in all, Harry was rather pleased with his results, and he looked over to Ron and Hermione to see how they had done. They both looked rather pleased with themselves.

"Well?" he asked. "How did you go?"

Ron, it turned out, received marks very similar to Harry's. Though he didn't do as well as Harry in potions, he had still scraped an O. Ron looked slightly put out that Harry had done better in potions, but then pointed at Harry's letter and said with a smile, "I got better then you in History of Magic though!" Harry kindly didn't point out that he had left the exam halfway through.

Unlike the two boys, Hermione had gotten an owl in every single subject. In fact, she managed to get an O in every subject bar one, astronomy, where she got an E. As Hermione read the rest of her letter though, her face went from a smile to a look of great concern.

"What?" asked Ron, though he didn't really seem too concerned.

"Oh", said Hermione. "I was just wondering how on earth I'm meant to pick out only 5 subjects." Ron and Harry carefully avoided eye contact in the hopes of keeping a strait face, though when Ginny burst out laughing they quite happily joined in.

The next morning, Harry rose much earlier then he usually did, and, not being able to get back to sleep, he decided to go down to the kitchen and make himself breakfast. When he entered the kitchen he found Ailey sitting at the table, though she had dropped her majestic disguise. All of her features looked the same, though her hair remained the same shade of blonde, her skin no longer glowed, and her eyes were an unremarkable shade of blue.

"Morning Harry", she said with a yawn. "I was just about to make pancakes, do you want some?"

"Sure", replied Harry, glad she was speaking to him. "Do you need a hand?"

"No, you sit, I'll be fine", she said, as she took out her wand. With a flick of her wrist, a frying pan came soaring out of the cupboard, and a whole heap of ingredients came rushing out of the pantry to pour themselves into a bowl.

"Err...about last night", Harry begun. "I-"

Ailey cut him off. "It's ok Harry, I get it. I know how frustrated you must be, so I can't blame you for lashing out. And besides I'm used to that temper by now, Lily was famous for it." Ailey's eyes were full of laughter, and Harry smiled.

The ingredients had finished mixing themselves now, and with another flick of her wand, Ailey sent some of the mix into the frying pan. Within minutes, Harry sat in front of a large steaming pile of pancakes.

They ate in silence until Ailey spoke. "I want to tell you something I didn't get a chance to last night, Harry." When he didn't speak she continued. "You asked how I could possible help you, remember?" Harry nodded. "Well", she went on, "The reason I am here is because Dumbledore asked me to come back to Hogwarts to teach."

"What will you be teaching?" asked Harry, thinking that maybe his dreams had come true and Snape had retired.

"Oh, well I wont actually be teaching a class. Dumbledore asked me to come and teach you."

"Teach me what exactly?" Harry asked, not sure why Dumbledore thought he needed private tutoring.

"Well, mainly to teach you things that you wont lean in you NEWT classes, like things that will help with the war against Voldemort. Also, I am to continue your Occlumency training.

"Wait", said Harry, confused. "Does that mean that you are going to teach me to fight Voldemort and Death Eaters and stuff like that?" Nobody had really taught him to fight before. Sure, he had been taught to defend himself, but this was different.

"Yes, I will teach you to fight. See, that is how I'll be helping you", she said. "Though tonight I leave for Hogwarts to start planning classes, so we wont be able to start until term actually commences." She looked down at Harry's plate. "Eat the rest of you breakfast, before it turns cold."

It was a week before term was due to starts, and Harry was sitting in the drawing room with Ron and Hermione, when Ginny came bounding into the room.

"Hogwarts letter!" she announced, handing them each a letter. They contained the usual notices about term starting on the 1st of September, as well as a booklist with all the books they would need for the subjects they had chosen to study. Harry had chosen Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Herbology. There was also an extra bit of parchment in Harry's letter, which he unfolded to read.

Dear Mr. Potter,

Since Professor Umbridge has left the school, all inquisitorial rules and bans have been lifted. Therefore, as you are no longer banned from playing quidditch, I have the honor of offering you the position of Gryffindor team captain. You will need to be holding tryouts fairly soon, to replace all the players that have graduated, so I suggest you put up a sign in the common room as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall.

P.S. I rather enjoy having the Quidditch Cup in my possession, so do please train hard to ensure we don't lose it.

Harry looked up at Ron, Hermione and Ginny, who were busy discussing when they ought to visit Diagon Alley to get school supplies.

"Guess what!?" said Harry, interrupting Ron, "I got made quidditch captain!"

"Well done Harry", said Ginny, looking genuinely happy for him.

"Yeah mate, that's awesome!" said Ron, though he looked slightly jealous.

Harry turned to Hermione, who as yet hadn't said anything. "Aren't you happy for me?"

"Oh of course I am, Harry", she said. "I just hope it doesn't interfere with your school work." Ron and Ginny laughed, while Harry rolled his eyes.

"Come on!" said Ginny, tugging at Harry's sleeve. "Lets go ask Remus when we can go to Diagon Alley!"