Chapter - Good Morning

Harry awoke in the medical wing to Mme Pomfrey's fussing. The sun was shining in through the window and he heard birds singing down in the yard. He reached for his glasses.

Hermione sat in the bed across from him, eating breakfast and reading. She looked over her book and smiled at him. Harry moved to get out of bed.

"Oh no you don't, Mr. Potter." Mme Pomfrey ordered. She rushed over to him, "You didn't have any serious injuries, but I want you to stay put."

"How's Ron?" Harry asked, as Mme Pomfrey fussed about him. "And what about my finals?"

"Professor McGonnagal has postponed it for you two until this afternoon. Your books and notes are here for you to study." she told him. "Your friend Ron is still asleep. He'll be fine in a few days. Your breakfast will be up soon. Do try to keep the noise down."

"Hermione, how are you feeling?" Harry asked.

"Surprisingly good. You?" Hermione replied.

"Good, I guess." Harry sounded confused. "I just don't understand-"

"Good morning Harry, Hermione." Professor Dumbledore walked in with Araya. She again had her serene manner and pleasant smile.

"Perhaps we could fill in some of the blanks." he said kindly.

"Well, sir, I don't understand why..." Harry paused, he wasn't sure for a second, "My scar hurt in the yard. I mean, Voldemort wasn't even around."

"If I may sir?" Araya asked. Dumbledore nodded, and she continued, "It seems Voldemort made a blood pact with Gutglee, which bound him to retrieve you. Until the pact was completed, Gutglee could not harm Voldemort and he also carried some of his blood and essence. That's what you were sensing. That link."

"Why was Samantha acting like that?" Hermione asked, "Why was she doing what he wanted?"

"She was entranced." Dumbledore replied, "She was under his charm and had no, well little, free will. It wasn't really her fault."

"Was that what he was doing when he was staring at us?" Harry asked, "I couldn't move or anything."

"Yes, that's what he was doing." Dumbledore replied kindly. "You were lucky he was distracted."

"How'd he know Ron was...from a pure wizarding family?" Hermione asked, "Why was that important?"

"Remember, he was a vampire. He could smell things that we can not." Dumbledore answered, "As for why, I'm not clear."

"May I sir?" Araya asked. Dumbledore again gave Araya the floor, "I read about Gutglee, in some of my history classes. He had been tortured and starved by a wizard over 450 years ago. He broke lose and killed the pure-blood wizard who'd abused him. Unfortunately, he was driven mad by the experience. He kept killing wizards in revenge."

"What did he mean about a deal for his freedom?" Harry asked.

"Well, during his rampage, he started the wizard persecution in Europe. When he was finally apprehended he was locked in a highly secret prison, Xilar." Araya answered. "Voldemort must have broken him out, using the blood pact as a leash."

"How do you know all this stuff?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I read a lot." Araya replied in a vague way, with a coy smile. "We had a lot of history books around where I grew up."

"Enough questions." Dumbledore smiled, "You have an exam this afternoon. Rest. Recover. Study."

"Sir, what about Ron?" Hermione asked, worried.

"Professor McGonnagal and I have discussed that already." Dumbledore smiled, "No worries. My that's catching, Araya."

It took a few days for Ron to be healed satisfactorily before Mme Pomfrey would let him go. Harry and Hermione waited anxiously for him to finish sitting through his trasfiguration final.

"Well, how did it go?" they asked eagerly when Ron came out. The Weasley twins, although long done their own finals were waiting too. They had become annoyingly protective since the incident. Even Ginny stayed close. Harry suspected Mrs Weasley had asked this of them.

"It went." Ron huffed, "At least it's over. You'd think almost having my head knocked off would get me something."

"It does. You get our loving-" Fred started.

"-and don't forget, our charming." George added.

"-and our charming company until we get home." Fred teased. Then George smiled.

"Then mum'll baby you until your OWLs." Ginny giggled.

"This blows." Ron whined, "Can't you just leave me alone? I'm fine, really."

The twins looked at each other. "No. Mum's orders. We're to keep you in one piece."

"She's really not happy that at least once a year you go and get in mortal danger." Ginny tried to sound serious but failed.

"You're all enjoying this too much." Ron complained.

They rode together on the train ride home. Then Fred and George went off to bid farewell to their friends, and Ginny left Ron, Hermione and Harry to bid farewell to Neville and Snowball.

"Finally." Ron said, "Thought they'd never leave me."

"And here I thought you wanted to be the famous one." Harry teased. "The centre of attention."

"If it hurts that much, I think I'll stay in the shadows." Ron replied, "Both times I've tried to be a hero, I've gotten battered."

"Wamps, don't it?" Harry said.

"Kind of." Ron replied, then a smile crept to his face, "On the plus side, you get to stop the bad guys, cause evil schemes to fail, and girls seem to like it."

"Ron!" Hermione snapped.

"What?" Ron replied defensively, "Am I not supposed to like girls? Heck, even Neville's been having more girls talking to him lately than I do."

"That's because he's sweet and polite." Hermione started.

"And Snowball doesn't hurt." Harry muttered.

"Well, true." Hermione said, "So any word on Sirius? What's he doing?"

"I don't know. We - um - didn't exactly get to that." Harry answered. "He's not well yet. He floats in and out. It worries me."

"Don't worry Harry. If he can survive Azkaban, he'll get through this." Hermione comforted. "Are you really going back to the Dursley's again?"

"Yeah." Harry grumbled, "Why couldn't I just stay at the school? I'd rather take my chances with Sirius."

"No worries." Ron said, "Maybe you'll be allowed to come stay with us again. Mum said that both Charlie and Bill will home this summer."

"They've been home a lot lately." Hermione said, "Any particular reason?"

"Mum worries." Ron shook his head, "This is all bringing me down. Let's talk about something else. We could always go jinx Malfoy."

"Ron!" Hermione snapped, "It's one thing when he starts it, it's another to go hunting him down for that purpose."

"Fine. Take the high road." Ron huffed, "Well, open the door a crack. Maybe the little ferret will stick his head in."

"Ron! I can't believe you." Hermione sounded shocked, but she pulled the door open a crack.

"Exploding snaps?" the boys smiled.

They met Mrs Weasley at platform 9 3/4. She rushed over to Ron and hugged him furiously. "Mum, stop it." Ron complained. "Mum! Air!"

"Oh Harry, Hermione, dear. I'm so glad you're both alright." Mrs Weasley hugged the both of them too. "I was worried sick. Dumbledore owled me, and told me all about it."

"Mum. Mum, stop. Please." Ron said, beat red.

"Sorry dear." Mrs Weasley said. "Where are you brothers?" Mrs Weasley pulled Ginny over into a hug. "Harry dear, is your Uncle here yet? The weather is abysmal out there."

"Maybe he forgot." Harry said.

"Too bad, we can't just leave him here. Guess he'll just have to come home with us, Mum." Ron smiled, "We wouldn't want Harry to be alone."

"Now Ron." Mrs Weasley said, "Hermione dear, I saw your folks on the way in. They had some trouble parking or something."

"Hey mum." Fred said, meeting up with them.

"Hello mum." George said, running up behind. "We were just planning some study sessions for our NEWTs."

"Yeah right." Ron breathed.

"Harry!" Uncle Vernon yelled, "Come on. Let's go."

Harry said good bye and waved as he left.

A/N: It's finished! If you liked it let me know.