Last time…..

Dumbledore entered the room and cleared his throat, causing the three of them to jump apart, startled.

"I do believe, children," he said, "that it is time for you to go to your dormitories. Harry, we are all glad that you are back. Please, do try and contain the excitement of your fellow Housemates," he added with a slight chuckle. Harry grinned and nodded, and the three of them stood and headed out, together again at last.

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When they got to the portrait of the Fat lady, Harry hesitated, nervous. Ron and Hermione noticed, and Ron gripped his shoulder while Hermione squeezed his hand.

"Come on, mate," Ron said quietly. "It's time to announce your return."

Harry sighed and nodded, and started to tremble slightly before he took a deep, calming breath to compose himself, as he had been taught so many times.

Ron gave the password and the portrait swung open, revealing the common room.

It was about half-full, with most of the first- and second-years having gone to bed, and many of the older students unpacking and writing letters home. The remaining people in the circular room, however, were busy playing games and chatting happily in front of the fire. As soon as they saw Harry, however, the noise died, and every person in the room was staring, transfixed, at the three people standing in the portrait hole.

Harry took a trembling step into the room, flanked by his two best friends. He stood for a moment, unsure of what to do or say. All eyes were fixed on him, and nearly every mouth in the room was hanging open. None of his training over the past years had prepared him for this.

The whole room was motionless for a moment, and then, very slowly, Dean Thomas got to his feet and walked towards Harry as if in a daze.

"Harry…..is it really?" he whispered, and Harry nodded, holding out a hand to him. Dean took it and drew him into a swift and fierce embrace, holding him tightly.

"I missed you, mate," he said, and that seemed to break the dam. Every person in the room was suddenly on their feet, and all shoving and jostling to get a better look at him or to shake his hand or embrace him. Questions poured in from all sides, and the clamor in the common room attracted more students from upstairs. Soon, the whole of Gryffindor Tower was down there, all trying to speak to Harry. He was slightly dizzy from the press of heat and bodies and voices around him, and thankfully, Ron saw this.

"CLEAR OFF, YOU LOT!" he bellowed, and Harry had never been more grateful for his best friend. Everyone fell silent, stunned, and Harry turned to face the huge crowd.

"Yes, I have returned, and no, I cannot tell you where I have been. I assure you, however, that I have no intention of leaving again, and please, you may question me tomorrow, but only a few at a time. Right now, I'm exhausted, and I'd really like to get to bed. I've missed all of you terribly, but we will have time to catch up. Please, I've had a long journey, and I really need to rest. I will talk to you all tomorrow."

The now-silent crowd parted silently and respectfully to let Harry through, and it was with relief that he sank into his bed in the dorm room. Ron and Hermione followed, regardless of the rules, and sat down on either side of him.

"You all right, mate?" Ron asked softly. Harry nodded tiredly, and Hermione hugged him around the shoulders.

"Please, Harry," she said quietly, turning to face him. "Please, never do that to us again. It was – awful."

Harry smiled and pulled both her and Ron into a fierce hug.

"I have no intention to," he said softly, and promptly spoiled the moment by yawning hugely. Ron and Hermione laughed and left him to his rest.

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Harry was in a huge forest, full of light and life and growing things. He sighed with relief as he recognized his old elf-master's home, and without hesitating walked down the tidy dirt path that lay before him.

He walked for only a little while before a house came into view. It was unlike any house that was known to the wizarding or Muggle world, perched up in a huge tree that eight men could not span with their arms. It almost looked to be part of the tree itself, firmly planted and woven amongst the branches. Its wooden, ivy-covered walls had never looked so beautiful, and the open door had never looked so inviting. Harry climbed up the tree and shot into the house, straight into the waiting arms of his elf-master, Eldwyn.

"I miss you already, Eldwyn," he murmured, embracing the ancient but strong elf firmly. He turned to see Eldwyn's mistress, Llyrithen. She drew him into a swift hug also, and Harry felt like he was coming home again.

"We have missed you as well, elf-child," Llyrithen said, smiling. "How are you adjusting to life back at your human school?"

Harry sighed. "It is strange, foster-mother. Everyone is so loud, and pressing, and eager. It is so different from life here at the Vale. I did miss my old friends, however, and I was glad to see them once more."

Llyrithen smiled and put a hand on Harry's head. "Yes, it is quite different. But it will be good for you to be back amongst your own kind. You are going to continue to practice the magics we have taught you?"

Harry nodded, and Eldwyn smiled.

"Do not forget your weapons training, either. It may save your life."

Harry smiled and nodded again, beginning to feel the familiar pull that meant that he was beginning to return to his own body again.

"So soon?" he cried, looking at Eldwyn and Llyrithen with sadness in his eyes.

"We just needed to confirm that you were hale and well, child," Eldwyn said, smiling. "We will see you again. You need to sleep now – you have a trying day ahead of you. There should be a surprise in store for you soon. But for now, do not worry about it."

Harry nodded and kissed each of them on the cheek before the world around him dissolved and he sat up in his four-poster bed, smiling slightly.

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The next morning, Harry was up far before anyone else, his body used to waking before dawn. He stretched, and silently dressed himself before slipping swiftly out into the common room and out of the portrait. He checked to make sure that all of his weapons were in place before beginning his journey down to the entrance hall, keeping a sharp eye out for anyone who might see him. He knew, however, that in the hours between night, when students were likely to be afoot, and daybreak, when they had to arise to begin the day, most of the hall guards would have returned to their beds.

He made his way out onto the Quidditch pitch and cast a quick notice-me-not spell over himself and the area surrounding him before beginning his dawn exercises.

He began with stretches, and then combinations of hand-to-hand movements. He went from kick to blow to block and back again with no effort whatsoever, moving as fluidly as any great hunting cat. He gradually merged into a pattern dance with his daggers, his weapons no more than flashes and blurs of silver in the air. He then slipped into a sword dance, and finally slowed until he could sheath his sword once more at his side, under his cloak. He then Summoned his bow and arrows from the Forbidden forest where he had stored them, and began some target practice.

Harry smiled as he called the last of his arrows to him about half an hour later, and sent them back to his hidden grove in the Forest. He looked up at the sky to see that it was slowly lightening into a pinkish gold, and he knew that he had better get back to the dorm.

He cast an Invisibility spell over himself as he returned, knowing that some of the professors were early risers. He made it back to the common room without incident, and he stowed the last of his weapons in his trunk just as the other boys began to stir.

Ron sat up and stared at Harry for a moment before getting his mouth to work.

"Oy, why're you up? How long've you been up for?" he mumbled, words still slurred with sleepiness.

Harry smiled. "I usually get up early. I've only been up for fifteen minutes or so."

Harry hated lying to his friend, but he knew that he could not reveal how much he had trained, and what he had been trained in.

Ron nodded sleepily, and the boys all readied for the coming day.

Breakfast was a tense affair. Harry did not like the feeling of eyes on his back, and the whole of the Great Hall was staring at him after Dumbledore announced his return. Harry was glad to get to class, even though the first lesson was double Potions with the Slytherins.

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A/N: Like it so far? Those that have read it before, like the revisions? Like I said, there aren't that many, but it just makes me feel better to go back and improve. Leave me feedback!

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