Chapter Four
Reuniting With Old Friends
"Harry!" cried a voice and Harry was caught in a hug by someone.
"Hermione, please, you are chocking me!" Harry cried.
She let go and Harry looked at her. It was Hermione Granger, a friend Harry knew with bushy and light brown hair, and her eyes were the color of chocolates. She was just a head shorter than Harry.
"Harry! How are you doing mate!" cried another voice. It was Ron Weasley, another friend of Harry's with flaming red hair and a freckled face. He was a head taller than Harry.
CRACK! CRACK!
Harry jumped but remembered that it was only Fred and George Weasley, Ron's older twin brothers; who also sported flaming red hair and a freckled face; apparating into the room.
"Harry, mate, we heard you have arrived!" one of the twins said.
"Just find Fred," Harry replied.
"He's not Fred, I am. Honestly Harry can't you tell us apart!" the other twin said.
"Sorry George," Harry said.
"Just joking, I am Fred" the twins laughed at their little joke they played on Harry, and Harry laughed too at their joke.
"Ah, Harry. I hope your travel with Fawks went well," a voice said and Harry had no trouble recognizing the voice. Harry looked toward the source of the voice and saw Albus Dumbledore sitting in a chair with Fawks perched on his shoulder. He was an ancient looking wizard with a long beard that extended below his belt. He is dressed in aquatic colored robes and behind his half moon spectacles were his twinkling blue eyes.
"Hello Harry, dear," another voice said. It was Molly Weasley, a short squat woman who also had flaming red hair, came in and gave Harry a hug. Through an open door came other people that Harry recognized. Ginny Weasley, a young teenager, who was a near below Harry, with flaming red hair, Charlie Weasley, a wizard who was out of school with flaming red hair and had scars on his hand and face since he worked with dragons in Romania, Bill Weasley, a wizard who also was out of school with flaming red hair pulled back in a ponytail and had an earring in one of his ears. Behind them came Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, a man with scares up and down his face with a large blue eye and had a wooden claw shaped on one of his feet, next came a women know as Tonks, she is a wizard who can change her appearance at will; today she had pink hair that stretched to her shoulders, and last came Remus Lupin, known as Moony and a friend of Harry's dad, James, he looked paler than Harry last seen him, but since he is a werewolf and a full moon must be approaching.
"Hello Harry, your travel went well?" Lupin asked.
"Yes sir," Harry replied.
"I hope you are the real Potter or I will cure you into--" Moody growled until Dumbledore cut him off.
"Alastor this is the real Harry or I would not have sent Fawks to fetch him," Dumbledore motioned to the bird perched on his shoulder.
"Yes sir," Moody said with no sign of embarrassment but kept his oversized blue eye on Harry.
"Harry I must ask you to continue to clear your mind until the school term starts and I myself will help you refresh your skills like last year until you can do it yourself," Dumbledore said. Harry was glad the Dumbledore was teaching him and not with his most hated teacher, Professor Snape is the Potions master at Hogwarts and only favored his House, Slytherin, and Dumbledore knew that Harry needed to learn the skill of Occlumency, a skill learned to keep others from looking into another's mind.
"Now I must leave, but before I leave I have your letters to Hogwarts and your O.W.L. results," Dumbledore said handing the letters to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Harry finally gets to see how he, Ron, and Hermione faired on their exams and Harry hoped that he had enough to become an Auror, a dark wizard hunter. "And Harry, I believe I have something that belongs to you that has been left in the dungeons," Dumbledore said pulling something out of his robes. It was Harry's broomstick; the Firebolt is the fastest broom to date and an international broom used by the international Quidditch teams throughout the world. Harry was speechless and Dumbledore understood his speechlessness.
"It has been checked for any jinxes that might have been put on it and your ban from Quidditch also has been lifted. Also your aunt and uncle will know of your departure when they return," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Now," he continued, "I must return back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore bid them farewell and left in a burst of flames with Fawks' tail feathers in his hand.