"All aboard that's going aboard!" shouted the conductor crossly, holding up his watch.

"Right," Harry said, "That's us."

Mrs. Weasley squeezed him into a bone-crushing hug and gave him a kiss on his bangs before pushing him aside and attacking Ron.

"Arrgh! Muummm..."

One by one, everyone said their goodbyes and ran to the train.

"See you there, Harry!" "Bye Hermione!" "Ginny – send me an OWL as soon as you can, okay?" "Errr...sure, Michael..." "Ginny, who's that?" "Nobody, err...hey, who are you, anyway?"

"Harry," said Moody, pulling him aside. Kingsley, Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Arthur were all standing together in a little circle. Harry looked over his shoulder awkwardly, aware that everyone was watching.

"Err – what is it?" he asked.

"We just wanted to tell you to be careful at school," Mr. Weasley said.

"Oh," Harry said, feeling immensely relieved, "Well, if that's all—"

"Uh-huh," Moody said, his voice heavy laden with sarcasm, "I don't think so, Potter."

"Sorry, Harry," said Lupin, grinning, "But you do tend to – ah – well..."

"Look, I don't go looking for trouble," Harry said, "Trouble tends to find me."

"We know, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, "All we're asking is that before you do anything rash, you consult with someone in the Order."

Harry felt his stomach drop out from under him, and he turned abruptly away, and looked somewhere beyond the train. So that's what this was all about – Sirius. They were blaming him for Sirius' death...if he hadn't been so rash, if he wasn't such a troublemaker...

Kingsley apparently had noticed the murderous look on Harry's face, because he said, "Harry – no one's judging you here. We're just telling you that—"

"Yeah, I got it, okay?" Harry whispered heatedly, "Try not to get anyone killed. No problem."

There was a long pause. He was just so happy a minute ago – why did they have to wreck everything? It seemed like every time he was ready to get on with his life, somebody had to bring up Sirius...

"Hey," said Tonks, in an awkward, friendly voice, "Hey, it's alright, Harry, nobody's saying it's your fault –"

"No! I understand," Harry said, "I'm a menace. I don't even know why you're talking to me, I mean, you could be the next...what was it? 'high profile target?'"

Moody had had enough. His magical eye bored through Harry as he let out a low growl, "Act your age, Potter. Arthur and Remus here might treat you with kid gloves, but I don't mind telling you that this is a little bigger than your tender feelings. You don't make judgement calls anymore. You don't save the world. You go to class, you do your homework, and you try your damndest to be just as normal as the next kid."

"Yeah, funny thing about that," Harry said, and Moody's eyebrows shot up, "I'm not normal, am I? You don't think that's all I want? You don't think that's all I've ever wanted? Just remember," he said recklessly, for Moody's scarred face was trembling with suppressed anger, "You're not named in some foul prophecy...You're not the one who's got to kill Voldemort, I am, that, or die trying. And in case you hadn't noticed," he continued, "Sirius was my godfather, and now he's dead. And yes, fine, it's my fault. There!" he said, not realizing that he was yelling, not realizing that his face was hot and wet, "There! It's my fault! MY fault that Ron and his whole family almost died! So I think I've 'learned my lesson,' alright? I don't think you need to remind me not to get my best friends killed!"

Moody stumped towards Harry, and grabbed him by the shirt, dragging Harry face to face with his magical eye, which bored through his skull...

"Alastor!" said Kingsley, warningly. But his warning fell on deaf ears.

"Look into my eye," Moody said in an acid whisper, "Look me in the eye and tell me that I don't understand sacrifice. Look here." He jerked Harry's shirt, and Harry looked at the chunk that was carved out of the flesh of Moody's nose. "And here!" Another jerk, and Harry was staring at a faded and crooked scar just below Moody's lip, that he had never noticed before.

"Remember that photo I showed you Harry? The original Order of the Phoenix? Yeah? Do you remember that half of them are dead now? Those were MY friends. So look me in the eye Potter, and tell me that you are alone in the world, and only you know what suffering is. That YOU have the patent on suffering."

He released Harry, who stood rooted to the spot, horrified and embarrassed.

"You are not the only one," growled Moody, "Who knows what it is to be a marked man."

He took a few stumping steps, and put a hand on Lupin's and Arthur's shoulders. He turned, and glared at Harry. "And you are not the only one who's lost someone."

And with that, he stumped off and disappeared through the barrier.

"OI!" shouted the conductor, "Are you coming or not?"

"Just a moment!" shouted Mr. Weasley.

"I can't hold the train forever!" shouted the Conductor, holding up his watch.

"We've got you! Alright? Won't be a moment," shouted Tonks.

"That isn't the way I'd want you to start your new year, Harry," said Mr. Weasley.

"I agree, Harry," said Lupin, "Moody was a bit out of line."

"No," Harry said, as hot tears of shame leaked unwillingly from his eyes, "He was right. I was wrong. I'm a prat, and I got Sirius killed, and I'm the reason you don't have a house anymore."

He quickly took his glasses off, and wiped his eyes roughly on his sleeve.

"Harry," said Mr. Weasley gently, "You were right too, in a way. You are different. You bear a burden that none of us can know. And we know how worried you are for your friends, and how hard it is to care for them and be afraid of caring for them at the same time. So, if it's hard on you sometimes...we understand. Don't beat yourself up, alright?"

"And most of all," Lupin said fiercely, holding Harry's shoulder, "Never, never blame yourself for Sirius's death. Or for Arthur's house for that matter." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "It's Voldemort, Harry...this is what he does. He divides people. He splits them in half, and divides them from each other. It's up to you, Harry, to..."

"Ahem," Kinglsey said.

Lupin seemed to stop in mid-thought. His focused expression suddenly loosened, and he looked at Harry as though he were both very happy and very sad.

"Just play Quidditch, Harry."

"Huh?!"

"Kick Slytherin's sorry arse. Study hard. Find a pretty girl and kiss her. Just...don't forget that there's joy to be had in all this. Your father," he said, smiling in the same sad way, "and Sirius were both very good at that."

Harry nodded with a mute smile, and gave Lupin a hug, slapping him on the back, lest anyone think this was a soppy moment.

"Thanks, Moony," he whispered.

Lupin squeezed his shoulder proudly, and suddenly shoved him towards the train. "Go on, now, get on."

Harry waved goodbye to all of them, dragging his trunk behind him. The train had already started moving. He swung his trunk onto the steps, and found Ron reaching out a hand. Taking it, Ron swung him aboard. He, Hermione, and Ron ran to the first window they found, threw it open, and waved out of the window until their family was small, waving dots on the distant Platform.

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked Harry, "You looked angry."

"He looked angry? What got into Moody?" Ron breathed, awestruck, "I thought you were dead for sure, mate! What did you say to him?"

"Nothing," Harry said, "It...It was about Sirius."

"Oh," Hermione said.

"'Nuff said," said Ron, "We don't have to talk about it."

"No," Harry said, smiling at them as though from a slight distance, "It's alright. I think it's okay."

Hermione gave him a smile. Ron seemed to be quite bewildered as to what this was all about, and decided that a friendly punch on the arm said it all.

"Prefects!" came an arrogant voice, and Ernie MacMillan's head was seen poking out of the first compartment, "We need you in here, please!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Honestly, we've done this once before."

"We'll be right back, Harry," said Ron, "Ginny and Neville are saving us a compartment – last one on your left. Err- would you take these?"

"Sure," Harry said amiably, "Locomotor trunks."

He opened the compartment door to find Luna hiding behind the Quibbler again, her wand safely stowed behind her ear. At least this year she seemed to be reading it rightside up. The headline read: "The Dark Lord Spied Waterskiing Off Cote d'Azur." Harry tried to picture Voldemort waterskiing, and actually hoped that Voldemort might be reading his mind. Ginny was sharing some Chocolate Frogs with Neville. He looked up as Harry entered the room, and began stowing all of their trunks.

"Harry!" he said, his pudgy face lighting up. "Here, let me help with that!"

Between the two of them, the trunks were soon safely stowed above and below them.

"What was it you wanted to ask me?" Neville asked, excitedly.

"Oh, err..." Harry said, with a quick glance at Luna and Ginny, "I wanted to ask...if you were trying out for Quidditch this year."

Ginny's eyebrows raised suspiciously. Luna however, dreamily commented, "You'd make an excellent Chaser, Neville."

"Oh," Neville said, furrowing his brow, "Well, actually...I'm pretty awful, Harry. I think I'd better not."

Harry cursed inwardly. He'd have to corner Neville alone later. Maybe he could tell Dumbledore, and he could call them to his office...

"Here, Harry – catch!" Ginny threw him a Chocolate Frog.

He and Neville were just ending a game of wizard chess, while Ginny laughed and wrinkled her nose at Luna's description of Ron's cute freckles and soft lips. It was unfortunate that he and Hermione chose that particular moment to slide open the compartment door.

"Oh, hello!" Luna said waving cheerfully, "I was just telling Ginny how good looking you are!"

"Err...I...uh...have a girlfriend, Luna," Ron said, turning red.

"You do?" Harry said innocently. Ron shot him a nasty look, "Well who is it then, Ron?"

"Yeah, Ron," said Ginny holding in a giggle, "Who is she?"

"Err...uh...Hermione!" said Ron, seizing Hermione's hand, who had gone stiff as a board, "We uh...we starting going out...this summer."

"Oh, really?" said Luna cheerfully, "That's wonderful! Congratulations, Hermione... Ron is an excellent kisser."

But Hermione was directing a look of death at Ron. "I know," she said through gritted teeth, "He's just astounding."

"Gosh, Hermione," said Harry, as tears of laughter streamed down Ginny's shaking frame, "Maybe you two want to find your own compartment?"

"OH, no, that's fine," Ron said, as he and Hermione threw themselves into seats as far apart as they could get, "Chuck me a Chocolate Frog, would you?"

After a while, the compartment door slid open, and they all looked up, cheerfully expecting the trolley, only to see Draco Malfoy and his goons, Crabbe and Goyle, blocking their exit.

Malfoy had grown a few inches as well, and his signature blond hair was tied back in a ponytail, like his father's. Rather than his usual smug smirk, however, there was a nasty glare.

"Potter."

"Malfoy. Harry replied, "Have a good summer then?"

"Afraid not," Malfoy said in a caustic whisper very different from his usual arrogant drawl, "My father was taken to Azkaban. But then again, I'm sure you knew that, as you were the one that put him there."

"Your father got what was coming to him," said Harry coolly, "And so will you if you don't get out now."

Malfoy's eyes flared and he looked for a moment as though he were going to hit Harry. He then straightened up, and in his trademark drawl, he said, "No big black dog to send you off this year, Harry..."

"That's right," Harry said, standing slowly, his eyes burning emeralds, "Care to make something of it?"

"Not at all," Malfoy said in mock sympathy, "It is SO sad when a family pet dies...I heard he had to be...put down. Rabid, was he?"

Harry whipped out his wand, and aimed it at Malfoy's heart. The silence in the room was like someone screaming...

"Go on then," Malfoy said, shaking with fury, "Go on. I want you to. Let the Ministry put you in Azkaban – I know plenty of people there who could keep you company."

Hermione stood up, and moved between Harry and Draco.

"Harry," she said gently, "He wouldn't want this."

Harry looked up at Hermione, about to snap at her to "Get out of it!" but the look in her eyes reminded him of Lupin's sad smile...and he remembered their parting words of advice to him.

Shaking, he put the wand down, and put it in his pocket.

Suddenly, Hermione stumbled as she was shoved from behind.

"I don't remember asking for your help, Mudblood!" Draco sneered.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" came a lion-like roar that Harry had never heard before. All Harry saw was a flash of red, and then a flash of red hair, as Draco and his goons were thrown across the hallway, Ron following close behind. As soon as Malfoy hit the wall of the train, Ron grabbed him by the robes, and flung him to the floor of the compartment. He pointed his wand at Malfoy's chest, and slammed the compartment door shut behind him.

"COLLOPORTUS!" Crabbe and Goyle's fists pounded pointlessly against the door, as it sealed with a squelch.

Hermione and Harry shared a shocked look with one another. They had never seen Ron this angry.

"I've told you once, Malfoy," said Ron, breathing heavily, "I've told you twice. I am not going to tell you again. You take that back, or prepare yourself."

"For what?" sneered Malfoy.

Ron stomped between Malfoy's legs as hard as he could. Ginny gasped, and Hermione let out a little shriek. Harry opened his eyes to see that Ron's trainer had pinned Draco's robes to the ground, and narrowly missed ending the Malfoy line forever.

"For something you won't like very much," Ron hissed between his teeth, "Take it back. NOW!"

Draco seemed to be considering for a minute. He was taking quick, whiney breaths, looking from Ron to Hermione with mingled fear and hatred.

"Alright," Ron said resignedly, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Fine!" said Malfoy, seeming to realize that Madame Pomfrey wouldn't be able to fix what Ron was liable to do to him, "Fine."

He turned to look at Hermione, and said in his drawling sneer, "I'm so sorry. Please do excuse my rough language."

"Like – you – mean it..." Ron said, lifting Malfoy off the floor by his robes.

"RON!" shouted Hermione, standing. Surprised, Ron and Malfoy both looked up at her.

"Let him go."

"Not until he—"

"LET HIM GO!" she insisted, sounding for all the world like Mrs. Weasley.

Ron looked at Malfoy as though he were something smelly on his shoe, and dropped him to the floor.

"Draco, I accept your apology. Please don't bother us again," Hermione said, waving her wand at the compartment door, so that it slid open with a bang.

Malfoy seemed not to want to tussle again, so he quickly stepped out into the hallway.

"By the way, Weasley," he addedd, as soon as he was out of fist range, "I hope your family had insurance. Then again, you probably couldn't afford it—"

"REDUCIO MINITESTUS!" came a shrill shriek, and everyone was astonished to see a bright blue bolt of energy escape Ginny Weasley's wand, and smack right into Draco Malfoy. He staggered for a moment, then patted down his chest, looking for injury.

Draco let out a laugh. "Missed, you little—" and he called Ginny something that made Harry's hand stray to his wand pocket.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Ginny said, grinning smugly, "Oh, and you might want to...avoid Pansy Parkinson for a while, if you catch my meaning...you wouldn't want her to be...disappointed."

Draco's jaw dropped to his chest, and he let out a string of spluttered expletives as he stormed off, with Crabbe and Goyle struggling to catch up and look menacing at the same time.

"Reducio minitestus?" Luna said, mildly amused, "I shall have to remember that one."

"Speaking of which," Hermione said, wheeling on Ron, "Did someone reduce your brain?"

"What?!" Ron said, genuinely taken aback.

"We are prefects, Ron, and so is Malfoy! I bet he goes to Snape about this..."

"Who cares?" said Ron recklessly, "I've had it with that git. If he ever calls you...a...a –"

"I know what he called me, Ron! Stop trying to protect me! I can take care of myself!"

Ron gaped at her, outraged.

"Hey!" he said, "Hey!"

"A witty rebuttal Ron, very clever, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist that you stop behaving like an idiot just because Draco Malfoy does," Hermione said, folding her arms.

"Oh," said Luna, smiling happily, "They're sweet when they fight."

"Ugh!" Hermione said, flouncing out of the compartment, "I'm going report Malfoy before he beats us to it."

"Women." grunted Ron, shoving a Chocolate Frog in his mouth. "I mean," he said, turning to Harry, "Was I wrong? Was I?"

"Err...I don't think it's so much a matter of right or wrong as what Hermione wants you to do," Harry said, feeling both sorry for Ron and thoroughly amused at what Malfoy might find in his trousers...

The rest of the ride seemed to go rather smoothly after that. Hermione was a long time coming back, but when she did come back, she and Ron seemed unwilling to argue any longer. They had apparently decided mutually, without words, to completely forget that any unpleasantness had occurred, and managed to be quite civil for the rest of the ride. Ginny was just about to regale Harry with another tale of a particularly well-executed Wronski Feint she had duped Charlie with that summer, when Hermione said, "You know, we really ought to get our robes on. We're almost there."

There was a shuffling of trunks and everyone's elbows seemed to be bashing together as they all put their black Hogwarts robes on over their uniforms. They all kicked off their trainers, and put on their dress shoes. Hermione and Ginny held various rubber bands, and clips in their teeth as they fussed with their hair. Harry noted that the robes he had bought Ginny were a bit tight, and then quickly looked away, feeling a bit guilty for staring. Luna simply shook her head once or twice, apparently enamoured of her new hair cut, and dove back into the Quibbler. Harry caught Neville staring at Luna's elongated neck with a goofy smile on his face, trying vainly to tie a proper tie.

The train slowly ground to a halt, and they got their trunks down one by one. Outside the train, they heard the familiar call of "Firs' Years! Firs' Years this way!"

"Hagrid!" cried Hermione joyfully, "It's going to be SO nice to see all our professors again!"

Ron stared at her, with an eyebrow quizzically raised.

"Well, not ALL of them," Hermione added as an afterthought. The phrase struck an odd realization in Harry, however.

"Hey, hold up," he said, "Why didn't Lupin come on the train with us?"

"Harry, one of these days I'm going to buy you a Lunascope," said Hermione, exasperated, "I'm sure he's at Grimmauld Place. Full moon tonight. He'll probably take a few days to recover, and then come up."

"Shame he'll miss the feast though," Ron said, "Rotten luck. But then, he'll probably miss the first day of classes as well, probably. Sort of makes me wish I was a werewolf. Think he'd bite me if I asked him?" he said, grinning at Hermione, who rolled her eyes, while trying not to grin.

"You're aiming for NEWT levels, remember?" she admonished bumping him playfully with her shoulder as they made their way down the corridor.

"Harry," said Neville, tugging his robes.

"Yes, Neville?"

Neville pulled Harry closer and cupped his hand to his ear. Harry had the distinct impression that they were back in Primary School.

"Err...Hermione and Ron...are they...really..."

Harry glanced at Luna, who was engaged in a deep conversation with Ginny about the mating habits of the Crumple Horned Snorkack.

"No," he whispered back, "Not really."

"Oh," Neville said, his face falling, "I was hoping...well, nevermind." He gave a sad glance at Luna. "Err – Ron, he doesn't...fancy Luna, does he?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Harry smiled, "Let's worry about getting to Hogwarts first. Hey, maybe you can share a coach."

Neville's face turned scarlet and Harry laughed out loud. They stepped off the train into a beautiful, sparkling September sunset, smelling faintly of burning leaves and fresh energy. Despite a brisk breeze, Harry could feel the golden heat of the setting sun smacking pleasantly at his shoulders. Perfect for a last-minute game of Quidditch, he reflected, and when Ginny glanced over at him grinning, he knew she was thinking along the same lines.

"Going out for the team then?" he asked.

"Why not?" she said, "I'm going to give you a run for your money, Mr. Potter. I may not be the youngest seeker in a century, but I'm smaller than you, and I've got Ravenclaw's Keeper in my pocket!"

Harry smiled. He hoped that Ginny found a place on the team...Seeker was pretty much taken up, though. Ron's position was tentative, though he had showed a lot of promise at the end of last year, and he had been practicing – Sloper was abysmal – But with Angelina and Alicia Spinnet graduated, there was plenty of room for Ginny to be a Chaser. Harry reflected suddenly that with Angelina gone, he'd most likely be Quidditch Captain this year. He wondered if he was up to the task...

His thoughts were interrupted by a hand the side of a ham shank clapping on his shoulder.

"Alright, Harry?" Hagrid beamed down at him.

"Yeah," Harry grinned, "Alright. You?"

"Can' complain, can' complain. Another year!" Hagrid roared happily, gesturing to the first years. Harry noted the streaks of gray in Hagrid's hair, but his face was ruddy as ever, and the crinkles around his eyes seemed to make him look even younger somehow.

"Great to see you, Hagrid," Harry said.

"Hagrid," said Hermione seriously, "You do have your job back, don't you?"

"O' course! O' course," Hagrid said, beaming, "Great man, Dumbledore. Great man. I can' wait to show ye what I've got for ye THIS year!" he said, his eyes lighting up.

"Heh heh...can't wait," Ron said smiling weakly.

"Ron! Harry!" called Luna, who was waving from a coach, "Hermione!"

"Errr..." said Ron, quickly putting an arm around Hermione's waist. Hagrid's eyebrows raised, and his beard lifted a few inches.

"You ah...wan' to tell me somethin'?" he asked, his deep voice teasing.

"It's NOT what you think," Hermione said briskly.

"O' course, o' course not," Hagrid said, winking at Harry.

Harry gave Neville a quick nudge with his shoulder, who stumbled his way over. "Sorry Luna!" he called, "Ginny's already gotten us one!...Ginny," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "Go get us one." She surreptitiously snuck off and began looking at coaches.

"Oh, too bad!" Luna said, "See you there then!" She gave Neville a hand, and yanked him into the coach.

"Oi! You lot!" called Ginny, "Over here!"

"See you, Hagrid!" they chanted, and Hagrid gave them a friendly nod and a wink.

"See you lot at my cabin? When you get a mo'." He turned back to the swarm of wide-eyed first years, who were goggling at his massive height. "Firs' Years this way! Follow me!" Hagrid said.

As they walked to their coach, Harry gave an odd look at the thestrals. He caught Neville looking at them out the coach window as well, and felt the happiness inside him deflate just a bit.

Ron was staring about five inches above it. "That's funny," said Ron, quietly, "I figured we'd all be able to see them this year."

"You didn't see him fall through the veil. You have to actually see it – only Neville and I did. And we already could see them from before." Harry said sadly.

"Oh...yeah, that's right...I don't remember it too well, after a point...I mean, I was pretty well out of it..." he shuddered.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Nothing...brains."

Harry realized Ron must've been remember what the tentacles from the brain room had been showing him as they wrapped around his arms. Harry remembered that he still had faint scars on his forearms.

Hermione let them look at the thestral's taught black skin and moon-dead eyes for a moment (or in Ron's case, empty air) before nudging them gently. They climbed inside the coach and slammed the door shut, just moments before Hagrid's voice hollered "Gee up!" and the wheels began creaking.