A/N: I know the scores are probably not accurate, and if they are I am amazing, but anyways… LOL! I like saying LOL. LOL! JK. Bye.  OK, seriously, bye.

Chapter 5- Letters from O.W.L.s

The summer went by all too quickly for Harry. He would have loved to have stayed at Grimmuald Place all year, playing Quidditch with Ron, Ginny, Desiree, and the children of the new members of the Order. He even occasionally forgot the guilt of Sirius' death that was hovering over him, because he was kept so busy. Needless to say, the arrival of the traditional school owls made Harry quite a bit sad to be leaving.

Harry and Ron, who had just woken up, joined Ginny and Desiree at the table in the kitchen. Ron was just about to take a bite from his cereal when a rectangular object was dropped into it. Ron was still half asleep, and he didn't notice it.

Harry, however, was more alert in the mornings than Ron, and he caught his letter before the owl dropped it onto his toast. Ginny caught both hers and Desiree's letters, as Desiree was also out of it for a while after she had woken up. The owl flew out of the kitchen and up the stairs to deliver Hermione's letter last.

Harry was tearing open his letter when Ron said sleepily "Hey, what's in my bowl?" Harry looked over and saw Ron holding up the soggy letter. Harry laughed.

"That's your Hogwarts letter" he informed him. Ron shook it, and the cold milk splattered all over him.

"Argh! Cold!" he shrieked.

"Guess your awake now!" Harry teased him.

"Yeah, guess I am," Ron grunted angrily.

Harry unfolded his letter. It read:

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have passed all of your O.W.L.s except for Divination and History of Magic. Your results are as follows:

Class Grade Score

Transfiguration- O 3

Herbology- A 1

Defense Against the Dark Arts- O 3

Divination- P 0

History of Magic- P 0

Charms- O 3

Potions- E 2

Care of Magical Creatures- E 2

Astronomy- E 2

Astronomy is not being held against you or any of your peers. We understand that there was an incident on the grounds that night that provided a serious distraction to all the students and we based your astronomy score on previous exams.

You have received 16 O.W.L.s total. Congratulations on your success.

Sincerely,

Griselda Marchbanks

The next letter was the usual one from Professor McGonagall. It said that he would need:

2 new sets of dress robes

Defense for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

Potions for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

Charms for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

Transfiguration for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

Astronomy for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

Care of Magical Creatures for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

Herbology for the Advanced Beginner, by Jerry Stimpleson

But wait; there was a P.S. after the usual salutation. Harry read it. Then he read it again. And again. He couldn't believe what is said.

P.S. Harry I have selected you as the new Quidditch Captain for the Gyrffindor team. Congratulations. I know you will do well.

Hermione bolted into the room suddenly.

"Well! What did you two get?" she asked.

"I don't know! The ruddy owl dropped my letter in my cereal!" Ron exploded.

"Goodness! It wasn't my fault you didn't catch your letter!" she said haughtily. She then called Mrs. Weasley, who came in and dried off Ron's letter with a quick charm.

"Anyways, I got 26 O.W.L.s," she said.

"That is lucky," said Desiree, smiling to herself, remembering that night at the beginning of the summer.

"Um, yes, it is," Hermione said confusedly. "And I also got Prefect again".

"What didn't you pass with full marks in?" Ron asked, who had done the math quickly in his head and realized that there was one point missing from Hermione's score.

"History of Magic".

"Ha! Knew even you couldn't get full marks in tha- OW!" Ron yelled as Hermione rapped him smartly on the head.

"So Harry. What did you get?" she asked as Ron glared at her, rubbing his head where she had hit him.

"I got 16 O.W.L.s and I got Quidditch captain," he said quietly, still stunned.

"Oh you did! That is wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed.

"That's great Harry!" Desiree congratulated him.

"I guess that means I'll definitely be making chaser this year, then?" Ginny asked.

"If you beat out the competition, yes!" Harry said. Ginny smacked him across the shoulder playfully.

"Maybe I'll try out for chaser…" Desiree commented.

"That would be great! Then all four of us could be on the team together!" Harry said. And then I could spend more time with Ginny and Desiree, he thought to himself.

"Not necessarily," said Ginny. "I still have to beat out the competition!"

"Incase anyone is wondering," Ron said loudly. "I got 15 O.W.L.s and Prefect again!"

"Really! Good job, Ron!" Hermione said. She hugged him, and Ron immediately turned a deep shade of red. When Hermione turned back to the table, everyone was smiling at the two of them.

"What?!" she said exasperatedly, and they all turned away, still smiling.

"I got 19 O.W.L.s. My fifth year exam scores were turned into O.W.L. scores, since we don't take O.W.L.s," said Desiree, breaking the awkward silence. Awkward for Ron and Hermione, anyways.

"You did, Desiree?!" Mrs. Amore exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. "I knew you would do tres bien, mademoiselle!"

"Can I see your scores?" Ron asked. Desiree handed him her letter.

"No way! Quidditch is a class in your old school?!" Ron said disbelievingly. "Wicked!"

"Yes, don't you have that class?" Desiree asked.

"No. We just have a couple flying lessons in our first year," Ginny informed her.

"Oh," Desiree said disappointedly. "I always looked forward to my Quidditch class, even though I am not extremely outstanding in it. Oh well. C'est la vie."

"I got Prefect" Ginny said out of the blue.

"You did Ginny? I am so proud of you! Why didn't you say something earlier? You're the fifth in the family to make Prefect!" Mrs. Weasley cried out.

"That is exactly it! It has already been done so it doesn't matter!"

"Sure it matters, Ginny! You are a good enough student to make Prefect!" Hermione comforted her.

"Oui, and if you keep it up, you can be the first in your family to get Head Girl!" Desiree consoled Ginny. Ginny brightened at their kind words.

"Yeah, you guys are right. None of my brothers can ever possibly get Head Girl."

"I suppose you will all need to take a trip to Diagon Alley, then?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"Yeah. Quite original titles for the books this year, huh? At least Hagrid didn't assign some loony sort of book again," Ron said thankfully.

That afternoon they all flooed to Diagon Alley along with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Amore, and Seamus, who had been dropped off by his mom because she didn't have anytime to take him school shopping.

Harry looked around, surprised at how many people were there. He asked Mr. Weasley and Mr. Amore, the two who worked at the Ministry, why there were so many people at Diagon Alley even though Voldemort was back. He thought they would have been too scared to come out of their houses.

"We 'ave got undercover Aurors working twenty-four seven 'ere," said Mr. Amore.

"So don't you worry, all right Harry?" Mr. Weasley finished kindly. Harry nodded to show he understood the double meaning of the words. Don't go off and do something stupid if anything happens basically summed up the hidden message.

"All right, you six can go off and 'ave some fun first" said Mrs. Amore.

"Yes, but meet us at Flourish and Blotts around two, got it?" Mrs. Weasley asked. A chorus of yes's answered her, and she nodded at them, and they were off.

First they stopped at Eyelop's Owl Emporium so Desiree, Harry, and Seamus could buy food for their owls, and so Ginny could buy a new owl for making Prefect. She bought a golden brown one, and named it "Graham Cracker".

"Graham Cracker?!" they all asked her, mystified at the unusual name.

"I think it's cute!" Ginny said indignantly. "It is a Muggle snack".

"She thought 'Pigwiedgon' was cute, too," Ron muttered to Harry, who grinned.

As they walked by Quality Quidditch supplies, Desiree exclaimed "Hold on! I have wanted to get a new broom for a while." They all went in with her and looked around as she purchased her new Firebolt. Seamus and Ron looked jealously at it in its package.

"Wish I could get me one of those," Seamus sighed.

After that they all went to get their two sets of dress robes. Hermione, Ginny, and Desiree all squealed over the new ladies dress robes. They looked more like formal muggle dresses, and were "the new fashion", as Madame Malkin told them. Unfortunately for Harry, Ron, and Seamus, the men's dress robes were still, well, more or less dresses. They would have even preferred tuxes to them, but as Desiree said to them, "C'est la vie".

The boys chose their robes quickly, wanting to leave as soon as possible. Harry got a green and a black, Seamus got a blue and a silver, and Ron got a dark red (he already had a black one from Fred and George).

The girls, however, took more time and deliberation for their dress robes. Eventually, after seemingly five hours to the boys, Hermione got a white and a red, Ginny got a silver and a green, and Desiree got light a sapphire blue and a gold.

"Finally!" yelled the boys as they left the shop with their purchases. The girls just smirked at them.

Their next stop was Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

"Hey all!" Fred yelled over the crowd as soon as he saw them all.

"Hello!" they all shouted back, except for Desiree, who of course said "Bonjour!"

"Welcome, welcome!" they said as they shook hands with Harry, Ron, Seamus, Ginny and Hermione.

"Beinvenue, mademoiselle" they said as they got to Desiree and kissed her hand instead of shaking it. "Oui, we have been brushing up on our French," said George. Desiree giggled.

"Just for your!" Fred added.

"Actually, no," said George.

"We have picked it up from Fleur," said Fred.

"She has been over to the Burrow almost every other day," said George.

"To see Bill," added Fred.

"But we would've learned French for you anyways, my jolies fleur!" George told her. Desiree giggled again.

"Tres bien, mon shers! Your French is par excellence!" she exclaimed laughingly.

"Sacrebleu! Only friends?" Fred asked, looking disappointed.

"There are other fish in the sea, Fred," said George, giving his forlorn looking twin a comforting pat on the back.

"You're right," Fred said. "So…"

"Have a look around," George finished for him.

Harry walked around the shop examining everything, but still keeping a safe distance from it all. He immediately spotted some powder that not only made you itch; it made you constantly scratch your bottom. Harry would've dearly loved the chance to use it on Dudley or Malfoy. Maybe he would get some. He also saw more fake wands, Canary Creams, Headless Hats, and Jumbo Dumbo candies. There was also a deodorant that made the wearer smell worse to everyone but himself, small hard candies that turned your skin colors, and lolli pops which turned your voice into the sound of an animals call for a half hour (They came in lion, frog, pig, toad, dog, and ostrich), and quills that made you think you were writing your own words, but really wrote insults to the person you were writing to. Harry was examining one, thinking about how much trouble Malfoy would get in if he used one of these on a Transfiguration essay, when Fred and George came up behind him.

"'Lo Harry" Fred greeted him.

"Like our Quirky Quills, eh? Fancy buying anything?" George asked.

"I dunno…" Harry said, wondering if he should buy something. Then he spotted some mirrors.

"Are those like Desiree's mirrors?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, we got the idea from her," Fred said.

"They're not really a joke item, but they can help you get into trouble," George explained. Or out of it, Harry thought. He decided he would get one for everybody.

"Hey everyone! Come over here!" he called to them. When they all were present, he told them to pick out a mirror, except of course, for Desiree. The girls got compacts like Desiree's and the boys all picked out silver circular mirrors. Harry took all the mirrors to the front and Fred rang up his purchases. He handed the mirrors out to everyone.

"Thanks Harry! These are wicked!" Seamus said.

"Yes, thank you! You didn't have to do it, though!" said Hermione.

"I wanted to," Harry told them all. "And they count as your Christmas presents!"

"Ah, I know you Harry! You'll get us all Christmas presents anyways!" Ginny said, happily examining her new compact.

"Hey Harry! Look over here!" Ron called out to him. He was looking at the packages of fireworks. "Do ya' want to get some? We could both buy a box together, if you want too!"

"Sure! We could use them for our Quidditch victory parties in the common room," Harry said enthusiastically. They got a box, and Fred rang that up too. They all left after saying bye to Fred and George ("Au revoir!" They called to Desiree, who laughed at them again).

When they were finished it was around one forty-five, so they all headed towards Flourish and Blotts to meet the adults.

They all left the shop staggering under the weight of all their books, except for Ginny. When they landed in front of the fire place in the kitchen, Ron, Seamus, and especially Hermione all got bruises from their books falling on them.

They were dusting themselves off when Susan Bones, Remus Lupin, and Tonks entered the kitchen. Susan had left her home for Grimmuald Place after they all had left for shopping, because she already had her new school items. She ran excitedly towards them all now.

"Oh! Myauntsdaneminteoamic!" she shouted happily.

"What?" Harry asked her.

"Repeat that more slowly, please," said Ron.

"My aunt is the new Minister of Magic!" she exclaimed.

"She is?" said all the kids confusedly. The members of the Order in the room, however, looked pleased but not at all surprised.

"You all new Fudge was getting sacked and didn't tell us?" Ron said.

"We knew Fudge was being charged for withholding important information and putting the Wizarding world in danger, and we assumed it would end in his being fired from his job," said Mrs. Weasley. "But we didn't know it would happen this very day. Congratulations, Susan!" she added warmly. Susan thanked her.

"Ma cherie, this is tres bien!" Desiree exclaimed to Susan.

"Merci, mademoiselle!" Susan said happily.

"I like Madame Bones," Harry said thoughtfully. "She was fair to me at my trial, unlike Fudge and Umbridge. I am happy for you two," he said to Susan. She thanked him to.

"It is really good for us that there is a member of the Order as Minister of Magic" Hermione commented.

"Yes, and maybe now the Daily Prophet will write the truth, because we know Madame Bones is a sensible person," said Ginny.

"Molly, Arthur, Aimee, Mark" said Tonks suddenly. "We need to talk with you. Dumbledore stopped by this afternoon. He was disappointed that he couldn't talk to you all, including the kids but he left a message for you".

"And he congratulates Ron and Hermione and Ginny on making Prefect, and he congratulates everyone except Ginny on their excellent O.W.L. scores, and he says he know Ginny will do just as well. He also said that Hogwarts has not seen such high scores, Hermione, since he took his exams", Lupin said to them all.

As Hermione turned pink from the praise and tried not to look to pleased, Tonks, Lupin, and Mrs. Weasley all left into another room to talk.

Ron started to pull out an Extendable Ear when Ginny said gloomily, "Might as well not even bother. They all know we always have those with us now". Ron reluctantly started to put away the Extendable Ear, when Desiree asked:

"What is that?" They all explained to her about the Extendable Ears and how Fred and George invented them. Desiree was just saying she thought that they looked familiar, that she had seen them in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, when the three re-entered the room.

"Kids, I have some news for you," Mrs. Weasley said. They all looked at her hesitantly, wondering what kind of news it was.

"It is good!" Mrs. Weasley said quickly as she saw all the looks on their faces. "There will be seven new foreign students at Hogwarts this year, including Desiree, but you will only meet the rest of them on the train because their parents are all arriving here on September first. There will be twins, a girl and a boy, from France, a girl from Germany, a boy from Italy, one boy from America, and one boy from Egypt. I expect you all to make them feel welcome and to sit with them on the train, as it is their first time".

"How old are they?" asked Desiree.

"They are all in sixth year and above, as people with younger children do not want to join the Order yet because they do not want to put their children in danger," Mr. Amore told them.

Ron, Harry, Seamus, Hermione, Susan, Ginny, and Desiree all looked gravely at each other. There were now more than twenty four new members of the Order, including the new kids, and adults and children alike were very close after spending a whole summer together. The odds were against them. There was no way they all could go through the second war without having a loved one die.