Rain tapped against the window, while Harry looked out of it. The Hogwarts Express made its way down the tracks. The wide Scottish Highlands laid around them. Thick, green grass and big grey boulders everywhere, pressed down by sheets of rain and strong wind. Harry tapped against the cold glass of the window, his thoughts hanging in the air. Ron was snoring on the other side of the compartment. His head was tilted back, his mouth was open and he had slept for the last three hours straight. Sometimes Harry envied his friend. He had never really been able to sleep in a moving object, train or car. Harry felt a tap on his knee, turning his head around. Hermione looked at him with concern in her eyes.
"Everything all right? You are rather quiet this whole trip." She pulled her hand back, her finger slipping between the pages of a book that was lying on her knees. Of course, she was reading some school book, said she wanted to get a hold on her homework already. She closed the book, still holding her finger in between, like a bookmark. Purposeful the girl turned her torso to face Harry fully. The boy who lived stopped tapping against the glass hummed a moment, then turned to his friend himself.
"I don't know, I think about it a lot. I mean, there is so much going on at the moment. Of course, I am worried about Sirius. I know, I know, everyone says he will be set free but..., life always seems to throw a wrench you know? That isn't the only thing. What is it with Hagrid? We haven't seen him since the day with Sirius. I even tried sending Hedwig to him, but she came back with the letter still on her leg. I mean, what happened? Did McGonagall said anything?."
Hermione shook her head, looking down for a moment. Harry knew full well, the Professor for Transfiguration was Hermione's favourite teacher and she felt like she had a special bond to the old witch.
"No, she said she couldn't tell me what was going on. Seems rather serious don't you think?" Hermione's eyes looked over to Harry. She looked like she wanted Harry to tell her not to worry. Harry shook his head. He had his own thoughts on the matter but he thought it would be best not to talk about these.
"Probably he is doing something for Dumbledore and that's why we can't reach him and McGonagall didn't tell you. I'm sure he is fine." Both of them seemed not really convinced at his statement, but Hermione still nodded her head ever so slightly.
"Let's hope so. As you said, life tends to throw a wrench. I mean look at Professor Lupin. I feel bad for him." And Harry meant it. He knew what it was like when Snape was vindictive and the greasy-haired man had "accidentally" spoken about Remus Lupin being a werewolf in front of Draco Malfoy. Of course, his father had been at the school hours later.
Hermione nodded and after a moment of silence, opened her book again. She resumed reading and quietly filled the compartment again. The rain kept on pouring onto the window. In the corridor next to their compartment a few students walked by. Harry raised his head, looking over. One was that cute Asian girl from Ravenclaw, Cho. He had caught himself watching her a couple of times this year, across the Great Hall or on the stairs, in class. She turned her head and their eyes met, her brown ones and his green ones, looked to each other for just about a moment. Harry felt a big lump in his throat and his thoughts slowed down. Cho's lips moved, forming a bright smile and she raised her hand, giving him a short wave before she went along the hallway. Harry only was able to raise his hand after she had already left, his brain slow to react.
He heard a shuffling noise from Hermione, who had raised her book, reading in it with quite a bit more intensity than before, her eyes almost racing over the pages. Hermione always surprised him with her eagerness to learn and for books. He smiled because that was what he liked about her. There were other things too, but while most people found Hermione's know it all attitude annoying, he was happy to have someone who always knew the answer to everything. Then she closed her book again, looking up.
"Are you really okay with going back to the Dursleys?"
Harry's good mood from being smiled at by Cho Chang took a big dive.. His eyebrows knitted together, and he sighed nodding.
"I guess. I mean there isn't much I can do about it. I can't always stay at the Burrow, as much as I want to and Sirius' trial isn't until the end of this month. And even then, he was a prisoner for twelve years, he will need time to find a job, find a home and so on, you know? As much as I want to stay with him, it wouldn't be a fair thing to do you know?"
"You could come and stay with me for a few days if you want to!" Hermione's voice shook a bit when she said it. Harry shook his head.
"Thanks, Hermione, but I don't want to burden your parents for a whole summer. And leaving and then coming back to them makes it only worse you know? The first few days when I'm back from Hogwarts are the worst days every time you know?"
Hermione bit her bottom lip, squinting at him, uncertain.
"It's okay, really. This will be the last summer I will ever spend in that home! I have survived up until now, I will get through two months, really." Still, Hermione looked unconvinced.
"Really, it's fine." Hermione nodded at that once.
"Okay fine, but if they are horrible or try to lock you in again, you send an SOS message!" Harry himself nodded, while the first parts of London flew by the window.
"Of course I will do that. And hey, maaaaybe I will let slip that my ex-convict, mass-murdering godparent is free. That might get them off my back." They both chuckled a bit and a content silence filled the compartment. Well, silence intermingled with Ron's snoring.
About an hour later, the red, steaming Hogwarts Express rolled into Kings Cross. It let out a loud whistle, signalling their arrival. Harry got up, pulling his luggage out of its place and carried it outside. On the platform, he was greeted by a wide red-haired woman and an equally red-haired man in a scruffy suit. The woman just let go of Ron and then stepped closer, hugging Harry in a motherly fashion. She was the closest thing Harry had ever had to a mother, so he hugged Mrs Weasley back, enjoying it, even this short thing. He was grateful he had met Ron and through him this wonderful family. Mrs Weasley stepped back, holding him still at his shoulders, looking him up and down.
"At least you put some weight on. I'm happy to see the kitchen of Hogwarts could help you with that. It feels good seeing you, Harry." She smiled at him. Harry knew from the first time they had met Mrs Weasley thought he was underweight and tried to change that. Well, in truth, he was. He nodded, smiling back at the woman.
"Hello, Mrs Weasley. Yeah, it seems like that helped." Mrs Weasley smiled warmly at him, rubbing along his cheek for a moment.
"Yes, it did." She stepped back and her husband equally smiling husband stepped forward, holding out his hand to Harry, who took it with a grin.
"Hello, Mr Weasley."
"Well, hello to you too Harry. I heard all about the fine job you three did this year. Amelia,...I mean Madam Bones, is fuming about the work of Jackson. He was Head of the DMLE back when it all happened. At least, thanks to you kids, Mr Black now will get a fair trial." Mr Weasley looked grim but also proud.
Harry nodded, then he hesitated.
"Mr Weasley? Would it be possible for you to keep me up to date at the case, maybe telling me when the trial is and how to attend, if that is possible?"
Mr Weasley looked surprised when he heard Harry's question.
"I think that should be possible. Want to see this through to the end?"
Harry again hesitated. Apparently, Sirius godfather-ship wasn't well known. He really didn't want to discuss this at that moment.
"Yeah, that sums it up very well." He half lied, wincing at his inside.
Mrs Weasley, how just released Ginny from a big hug turned to her husband, frowning.
"Arthur, leave the boy alone with all that serious talk, would you? I am pretty sure, Harry's aunt and uncle are already waiting for him." Harry sighed, nodding. The Dursleys would be mad if he let them wait. He said his goodbye to Hermione and the Weasleys promised to write on a daily basis. If he wouldn't, Ron said, he would know Harry was held captive and they would break him out again. Harry grinned at the stern look of his friend, waved one last goodbye and made his way from the platform.
After he left the barrier behind himself, he navigated through the train station, out to the parking lot. It was still raining and a cold wind blew. There were no Dursleys to be seen. Harry stood under the roof, groaning, but he knew better than to leave from that spot. This wasn't the first time this had happened. So he sat on his luggage and waited, while grey clouds hung low in the sky and rain poured down and down. About an hour later finally he saw the grey car with the moustached red face behind the windshield, waving at him angrily. Harry sighed, pushing his cart in the rain, hastily making his way over.
There is no place like...home.