A/N To all my reviewers Thank you for your kind, and not so kind reviews . Also a very big thank you to those whom had a complaint for not flaming me all reveiws will be read as long as you try not to flame me I will do me best to adress your question or concern flame me and I simply forget you reviewed me. lol Anyway to those who have been asking Harry is 13 (60) years old and Ginny is only 12 so it will be a while before they get together completely. Sirius will be freed about mid way through this installment of the story which will finish Third year. As to the Soul Thingies (henceforth in my A/N's what the Horcruxes will be called but will use their proper name in the story) most of them will be gathered by the end of fifth year,except the one Dumbledore found. Instead of worring about what Harry does to Snape you might want to worry about Harry and Draco. If you are wondering why reread the first 2 chapters. I will not spoil what happens to Snape yet lets just say Dumbledore will be the one handling that problem. Now a contest The first reviewer to guess the meaning of the last paragraphs of Chapter 4 will become a extra during the sorting ceremony I am going to write for Seventh year (all other ceremonies as written by Rowling stand not rewriting them., not rewriting a lot of things I think Rowling did a GREAT job). This is just a story I came up with and decided to try and write.

Warning: this chapter prebetaed I am posting it due to the demand for a new chapter and hecitc turn my betas life has taken. I may be seeking a new beta soon, will keep you posted.

Chapter 5

Reunions

Harry spent the next few days exploring Diagon Alley of the past, refamiliarizing himself with it, noting where everything was in this time, what shops were present so that when he saw the Weasleys and Hermione, he wouldn't slip up and mention a shop from the future. Harry also tried to get a meeting with the Goblin Council but was told they were too busy to talk to a child. Sighing Harry strolled down the Alley again today and saw a shop he had not visited yet. Smiling to himself at the memory of his first trip there Harry opened the door to Olivander's and stepped inside.

The old shop keeper turned and dropped the wand boxes he was holding. He stared long and hard at Harry for a moment, then spoke, "what can I do for you Mr Potter?"

Harry gaged the old mans reaction for a moment before speaking, "not much Mr Olivander, I just wanted a couple of wand holsters for my friends."

"Hmmm," was the only response Harry got as Mr Olivander moved to another shelf and retrieved the items. "I think three should be sufficient."

"Quite, thank you sir, how much do I owe you."

Eyeing Harry careful for a moment Mr Olivander turned away from Harry and began picking you the boxes Harry suddenly felt a slight tug at his mind as someone left. Cursing himself as a fool Harry realized how Olivander always knew things about people he was a Legilimence. And a damn good one at that if he could sneak inside Harry's mind like that. "400 galleons Mr Potter, but let me say this, they are gift of gratitude from the first person to realize who you really are."

Harry nodded and turned to leave stopping at the door he sent a short message to Olivander mentally, then strode out the door and back to the Cauldron. He had to get ready, the others would be here tomorrow and after that it was on to Hogwarts.

Harry was sitting a Florean's ice-cream pallor eating a strange confection he had told the proprietor about. It was called the "double decker banana split" the first layer consisted of three bananas, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice-cream, hot fudge, caramel, and strawberry topping, topped with whipped cream nuts and a cherry. The second was one banana smaller scoops of ice-cream and a smaller portion of the toppings. The treat was a meal into itself and Harry loved them. For some strange reason he had developed this craving for sweets as he got older and would try and find new and outlandish ones to taste, but the double decker was his favorite. He heard his friends approaching before he saw them and smiled as a bushy haired girl and a gangly red haired boy ran up to him. He forced himself to act as though it had not been years since they had last seen each other. To not run up to both of them embrace them and tell them how much he loved and missed them. The smile faded for a moment as Harry steadied himself he was so busy concentrating he missed Hermione's momentary pause and studying look as she approached.

Harry greeted them warmly and the two sat down to finish Harry's ice-cream Ron instantly fell in love with the dish and asked if Harry thought the house elves at Hogwarts could make it. Mentioning house elves reminded Harry of something he had forgotten, and blurted out "Dobby!"

But before Harry had even finished the word the little elf was already there standing beside Harry expectantly, "Yes Mister Harry Potter sir you called for Dobby?"

"How ... never mind, yes I called for you Dobby, but I don't have time to talk to you about what I need right now" fishing a piece of parchment and a quill from his robes he scratched a note onto the paper and handed it to Dobby. "Take this to Head master Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts and wait there, I may have a job for you Dobby. And here is a knut for your trouble." Harry placed the parchment and the knut into Dobby' s hand but instead of the normal pop that is associated with a house elf leaving Dobby simply vanished. He landed on a very stunned Dumbledore' s desk and was very stunned himself. He had never traveled by portkey before and the experience left him rattled. He dropped the knut and parchment not trusting them and sat down to wait for Harry. Dobby and Dumbledore spent an interesting day talking together.

"What was that about?" Ron asked after Dobby disappeared.

"Something Al... Professor Dumbledore and I have been working on since I left the Dursley' s he wants Dobby to look after me next summer in a secret place he is setting up. With the events of the last two years and Sirius's break out something has him spooked, and for some reason he thinks I need to be protected." The line was good the two of them weren't meant to hear it until king's crossing next summer but now was as good a time as any to test the waters with the little half truths Harry would be telling them from now on. Ron seemed to by it and began theorizing about why Harry had to be protected, everything from Sirius wanting revenge to You know who coming back for Harry again, to Snape and Malfoy being involved. Hermione was strangely quiet and had been giving Harry a queer look the entire time.

"Mione? What is it? I got something on my face?" Harry asked after he could take it no more.

Hermione chewed her lip a moment blushing before answering, "something is different about you Harry, I can't put my finger on what, but something is different." she then quickly added "It's not a bad thing its just different, that thing with Dobby, your smile is brighter and I would swear your eyes are twinkling like Professor Dumbledore' s at times."

In spite of himself Harry laughed, he had forgotten how clever Hermione was. He had done the one thing he needed not to do, although not on purpose, hand Hermione a puzzle and dare her not to solve it by feeding her half truths. Hermione would work on a problem day and night until she solved it, he knew this he spent many night up with her and Ron working on them. Sighing and seeing the hurt look on her face and finally registering that Ron was blithering something about the same old Harry, he spoke, "your right Hermione I do feel different this year, I don't know why but I feel great. Maybe it's because I only spent a few days at the Dursley' s, sorry I couldn't tell you, but Professor Dumbledore insisted I keep it a dead secret where I was staying this summer. I didn't even learn why until after we were there. He was worried about Sirius Black, he was concerned that the wards while keeping out Voldemort, oh stop it, it's just a name, might not stop Sirius. So he moved me for the summer. Spending a Dursley free summer can do wonders for a person, and he said I never have to go back there again."

"But they are you family, horrid though they may be, wont you miss them?" she asked

"No not really, there is no love lost between me and them, but the Professor and I agree that it is too dangerous for them and me for me to stay there anymore. Minister Fudge even supported Dumbledore' s advice that my whereabouts be kept secret."

"Wow, sounds like you actually had a fun summer mate, but if Dumbledore is so worried about you why let you sit in the open in Diagon Alley?

"Because ALL of the shop keepers are watching me here, and I have to check in with Tom ever night so he can cast charms on my room when I go to sleep that will alert him if anyone is in there besides me. I wanted to see you guys before school started and Dumbledore didn't see the harm in it if I agreed to stay with in Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron."

"Makes sense, well anyway we need to get our books for the year how about you mate, looking forward to Divination this year I hear it is a cake course?" Ron asked as the three began to stand.

"Err actually mate Dumbledore wanted me to drop Divination and take Ancient Runes and Arithmancy instead. Sorry mate but he hit me with this three days ago when I arrived here and he handed me my book list. He said something about maybe needing the skills I will get from the classes more than Divination." Harry said weakly, this was one confrontation he had been dreading, leaving Ron alone in Divination. He was certain Ron would be upset but was surprised.

"Dumbledore already told Mom and Dad when we arrived back in England" Ron laughed, "I just wanted to see if you would 'fess up to abandoning me and Hermione to that class. I wanted to drop it and try and get in with you but Dumbledore said that my schedule was set for the year I could drop a class but I couldn't pick up any." He shrugged "Come on lets get our stuff."

The three of them spent the day laughing and buying school supplies they saw Ginny and the twins and Mr and Mrs Weasley who told Harry that Dumbledore had arranged Ministry cars to take them to King Cross tomorrow. Hermione bought Crookshanks, who promptly tried to pounce Ron's sick rat Scabbers, who at the mention of Harry tensed up and looked murderous for a moment but brushed it off saying he thought he saw Malfoy, but was mistaken.

The next day Percy was lording over the younger Weasley' s trying to help his mother coral everyone and get them ready for the cars, which were due any minute. In typical Weasley fashion they were several minutes behind. Harry helped Ginny with her things causing her to blush profusely, while Ron helped Hermione. Harry had seen to it that Ron had packed the night before meaning for once Ron wasn't the cause of them running late this time. When they entered the cars it was just as Harry remembered it zipping through traffic and arriving with plenty of time. Everything went smoothly, until it came time to find a compartment. Ron protested sharing with an professor, but Harry and Hermione quieted reminding him Malfoy was on the train and would be stopping by the presence of the Professor, asleep or otherwise, would deter him, and it did. Besides Harry wanted someone who would have a chance at stopping him close by if he lost it when he saw Malfoy.

When the Ferret made his appearance Harry's entire demeanor changed, he went from a relaxed joyful attitude, to one of a tiger ready to pounce on a small mouse. Something about this must have bothered Ginny because for some un fathomable reason she chose that moment to grad his hand distracting him from Malfoy. Harry turned ignoring the git figuring Ron and Hermione could handle him. He stared into Ginny's eyes a moment before blushing, she also blushed and squeezed his hand and mouthed thank you. It bewildered Harry for a moment until it dawned on him. This was Ginny's second year, and the Malfoy' s were instrumental in ruining her first. She had needed strength when Malfoy had entered the room and Harry had been there. The first time he had concentrated on Draco and ignored Ginny was even there. This time he had been there for her. Harry vowed then and there he would do better by Ginny this time around he had a second chance and he would do it right. But he had to be careful he had to let her think she was over the crush before he could move forward. He mouthed no problem and let go of her hand and turned back to find that Malfoy had already left. Leaving a fuming Ron, Harry only caught the end of what Ron was calling a Malfoy

"...sanctimonious arse"

"RON, there's a professor not three feet from you!" Hermione burst out.

"Firstly Hermione he is dead asleep, second we are not at Hogwarts yet and the school year hasn't started so he can't dock me points or give me detention."

The rest of the train ride was dull Harry pretended to pass out when the dementor showed. Mostly because he wanted the pleasure of casting a patronous at Malfoy again, and because it was something that had helped him and Remus connect. The problem was how was he gonna fake struggling to learn the spell. Besides it was all he could do to keep from casting the patronous mortis spell at the thing out of instinct. After the Dobby incident killing a dementor would be a brilliant thing to do in front of Hermione.

But Harry was visibly shaken from the encounter he had expected to hear his mother scream, but the screams he heard were his own as he was force to relive the moment he had seen Ginny's body after Malfoy and the other death eaters had finished with her. Tom Riddle or no if Draco Malfoy so much as laid a finger on Ginny, Harry would show Malfoy just how evil he could be. He shivered again at the thought of how he had killed Malfoy. Moody had never asked questions, the only thing the old wizard had done after Harry had told him Malfoy was gone was drink a bottle of Fire whiskey with him in silence. It became a tradition of sorts one night Harry had learned that Moody himself had done something similar to the man that had killed his family. Harry got no details, only that Moody regretted ever finding the bastard. When Harry started to ask why Moody hadn't stopped him from going after Malfoy. Moody responded I didn't listen to any one then would you have listened to me? Despite his feelings Harry knew the answer was no.

The start of term feast was Marvelous. During which Harry was asked to report to Dumbledore' s office after. So as Ron and Hermione made their way up to the Gryffendor dorms Harry turned and went to the Headmasters's office. Once again as he approached the gargoyle in deep thought it jumped aside. Only this time it did not go unobserved.

"Harry how did you do that?" a familiar voice said behind him.

Harry jumped three feet in the air and sent a wandless stunner at the source of the voice. Lucky for Albus Dumbledore his best friend was Alastor Moody, therefor he was used to getting stunners thrown at him. So he easily deflected it with a wave of his hand.

"Merlin Albus, don't sneak up on me like that. You scared the shit out of me."

"I observed that, in the future I will try and be sure not to come upon you unawares. But I am still curious how you managed to get the gargoyle to move with out the use of a password."

Harry had to think a moment to figure out what Albus was talking about, when he got it he blushed, "oh that it has to do with my family tree and a ritual I underwent to claim my inheritance."

"Ah then I take it the Heir of Gryffendor was discovered?"

"You may make that assumption."

"Very well then I must ask that you not abuse the power and go places that students are not allowed."

"No problem Albus, now should we retire to you office or do you wish to discuss what you wanted me for out here?"

Dumbledore motioned for Harry to go up the stairs and followed when they entered Harry saw the reason sitting in one of Dumbledore' s armchairs. A short child like little creature with large bat like ears was swinging his feet in the air humming something waiting patiently.

"Mister Harry Potter Dobby knew you would come soon. I was telling Professor Dumbledore that we would see yous today."

"I suppose this is the reason you wanted to see me."

"Yes Harry as per your request I have filled Dobby in on our mission. I suppose he has a part to play somehow?"

"Yes but that will come later," turning to Dobby, " Dobby I want to ask you something do you want to stay a free elf or would you like a new family."

"Dobby likes his freedom, but he would be serving Mister Harry Potter if he is asking that."

"I am would you like to become my house elf Dobby."

"Oh yes Mister Harry Potter yes" the little elf bounded from the chair and hugged Harry's leg in a vice grip.

"Ok ok Dobby your cutting off my circulation,"he wrestled the excited elf free from his leg and took a very serious tone. "Now there will be rules. First you are to be a secret it is not to be known that you are my house elf. Second I will need you to perform strange task in the future, do not worry you will not be asked to hurt anyone. But certain things have to happen. And lastly you will not under any circumstances punish yourself ever again. Can you follow these rules?"

Dobby shifted his feet a few times he had gotten nervous when Harry had said there would be rules and had nearly wept when Harry told him the last rule nodding vigorously "yes Dobby is a good house elf Dobby will do as Master Harry Potter commands."

"Then my first command is that you may no longer call me master, Harry is fine understand?"

"Yes Harry Potter, "

"Next I want you to pretend to work for Hogwarts since this is where I am staying you can serve me by helping the elves here."

"Yes Harry Potter Dobby will do this Dobby is a good house elf you will be seeing you will like having a house elf like Dobby. I is good helper."

"Ok, you can go Dobby if I need you I will call"

"Goodbye Harry Potter." with that the little elf popped away, most likely to the kitchens to help with the after feast clean up.

"If there is nothing else," Harry said turning to Dumbledore.

"One more thing Harry and then you may go, I have moved your pet to a secret room off the main hall way normally reserved for guest it is behind the portrait of Lady Morgana."

"I know it, I'll try and stop by and see him later tell him all is well, to proceed as planned and that the escaped route is now functional." with that Harry turned and left. He made his way to the dorms and plopped on his bed. He talked with Ron, Neville, Dean, and Seamus for a while before turning in.