A.N. this chapter is a little bit shorter than the others so I hope that it's ok

DISCLAMER – I don't own anything

Chapter 5- Going Home and A Deal

The next week went by so fast Harry almost didn't notice it was time to leave until he got onto the train.

He stepped into the scarlet express, dragging his luggage behind him. He walked down the train, looking into each of the carriage windows as he went. Halfway down the train he paused, looking into one of the carriage windows that had yet to be closed. Sitting in there was Ginny and Luna facing towards each other talking.

He looked down the corridor making a quick decision; he pushed the door open before he could be seen by anyone that would go off reporting to Ron and Hermione.

Ginny and Luna looked up when he entered; they looked shocked when they saw who it was coming into their carriage. They looked at him confused, looking to each other then turning back to Harry.

"What are you doing here Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I think I should be asking that question to you, I didn't know you two knew each other." he said looking amused.

She looked slightly irritated that the comment had been turned back to her.

"It's not like we've never been seen together before, we've known each other since we were children, not that it's any of your business Harry, why do you even care?" she was baiting him he knew that. He smirked, sitting down across from the both of them; they simultaneously raised an eyebrow at him.

'How the hell does everyone do that?' he thought

"Girls, I might know something private about you, but is that really any reason to be looking at me like that?" they lowered their eyebrows but that didn't take the suspicious look from their faces. Sighing he continued "I came in here because I am your friend and I want to sit with you. Plus I think it would probably be more fun sitting in here rather than sit listening to Ron and Hermione argue for the whole journey over something completely unimportant." He sat back resting his head against the back rest behind him arms folded on his chest.

They couldn't believe what was coming out of the boy's mouth, 'He wants to sit with us rather than his best friends, that's a little unbelievable. Plus it's not like he knows us that well, I mean from what Luna told me they have only been friends for a couple of days.' Ginny was trying to think of any possible motive that Harry could have for this. Not finding any, she turned back to the window continuing to stare out of it, irritation bubbling just under the surface.

Luna was different she already knew that he had no ulterior motive; she was simply sat there staring at Harry, or to be more specific, at his arm. Uncomfortable, Harry to a quick glance down. He froze seeing that his must have absentmindedly rolled up his sleeve when he sat down because there in full view of anyone was his tattoo. The head displayed for the world to see, rolling his sleeve back down he covered the head. Much to the protests of Nat.

"I'm not evil you know." he said defensively, 'wow déjà vu' he thought thinking back to his conversation with Ginny in the chamber.

"Oh I know Harry, you don't need to worry about that, I'm just wondering if I can meet her, I've heard that she is very nice you know." never moving her gaze from the spot on his arm, 'Ok, now I'm almost sure that she is some sort of child genius or secretly a mystical creature'.

"Luna I know that you're a Ravenclaw and everything but I really have to know how you can just pick up on facts like that, it is sort of creepy sometimes." he asked her shaking his head.

"Harry, anyone that knows Luna well enough knows that while she can come out with the most ridiculous things and they are also going to be the most insightful and truthful things that you will likely ever hear. Trust me when I say that you should trust anything that comes from her mouth, even if it is silly, it always has some funny way of being right in the end." Ginny didn't move her gaze from the window when she spoke although she didn't seem at all bothered that she had both insulted and praised her friend in the same sentence.

Looking at Luna, she didn't seem the slightest bit bothered, Harry was also in a little bit of shock 'How is it possible that someone can know so much?' he thought thinking about everything she had said since he had met her.

The girls were looking at each other again sharing a secret look from the corner of their eyes. They didn't think that Harry had noticed just how close they were from the looks on their face. 'It's like they don't trust anyone but each other, it's kind of sad.' He looked at them in pity for a split second but neither of them noticed, for that he was glad; they didn't seem the type to take being pitied well.

"Harry, don't you think that your forgetting to tell us why you have a tattoo on your arm which I know that you didn't have before." Luna said

'Damn' Harry thought 'I hoped she would forget, though it doesn't seem likely.'

Harry thought about it for a moment 'Will they be alright with it? Especially Ginny, she has just gone through something that no eleven year old can relate to. Will they be able to keep this secret?' he studied their faces trying to find anything that could be seen as ill intent. Finding none he made his decision.

"You two are the first people I am going to tell about this, and for some very strange reason I want to tell you despite the fact that I only just met you really. I didn't kill the basilisk in the chamber, long story short she is now my familiar and is in the tattoo on my arm. I can get her out but I need to tell you the rest of the story first." They nodded Ginny wide eyed Luna still had yet to take her eyes of Nat "Right after I ordered Nat, that's her name by the way, to kill Riddle by biting the diary. Riddle died, then I here this clapping and I saw a man in green battle robes standing behind me. He… he told me that I was the heir to Slytherin and that he was Salazar Slytherin and I think that I believe him." he finished

There was an almost unbearable silence in the compartment. The two girls sat there staring at Harry in curiosity, not fear as he had been expecting.

"I'm not going to be offended if you never want to see me again although you know it's not going to be something I really want to spread around. I will understand." Harry said

Luna was the first to speak "Harry you stayed with me even after you knew that I was a little bit strange and I'm sure that Ginny will agree with me when I say that you are one the least evil people we have ever met. But I am curious as to what you're going to do." she finished looking to Ginny for confirmation, who nodded in agreement.

Harry felt happiness fill him. He was wanted, something he had never felt before. He jumped from his seat grabbing the two girls in a tight hug to which they laughed and patted him on the back.

"Thank you so much." he whispered

"Harry," Luna said returning to her normal dreamy voice "you haven't answered my question; what are you going to do?" she asked releasing him then returning to her seat.

Harry sat back in his seat looking at the ground.

"I don't really know, it could be a great asset to the light side in the battle against Voldemort but how do I really know that I can trust him. He is said to be the most evil man of his time." he said

"Harry, my parents are said to be one of the lightest family in existence but they still kicked me out of the family." Ginny replied logically "I don't think that I have the right to judge people before I meet them."

"Harry lots can happen the time a person's life truly begins." Luna said cryptically then she looked out of the window leaving them to ponder what she said.

Silence filled the compartment for a moment until Harry noticed something, Ginny was on the train and from what he knew she was staying in the castle for the holidays.

"Ginny, what the hell are you doing here?" Harry asked

Startled she looked up to him, grinning she pointed to her trunk. "You think that I'm going to leave home with only a trunk full of things? I'm going to force them take me home and let me claim my stuff." she said grinning

Harry would have replied but he was interrupted by the sound of the compartment door crashing open and he was attacked by two very hyper red heads.

"Harry!"

"Guess what-"

"We have just found out that-"

"You are a friend to our lovely sister-"

The twins sang as they collapsed on the seats all their energy used up. There was a stunned silence for a moment, until everyone collapsed into laughter.

"That lightened the mood." Ginny said between bouts of laughter.

Everyone sat there chatting until the trolley came around. Harry sat up taking in all the sweets lined up, looking up to see if anyone else was getting anything he saw that nobody else was. Luna was still staring dreamily out of the window, although the Weasley's were looking at the floor or anywhere to avoid Harry's eyes.

"I want enough for all of us and some extra thanks." he said to the woman

The old lady smiled to him, motioning for him to come forward, ignoring the protests of him friends he began to pick up all the sweets and food he could see. Putting hands full of pumpkin pasties, liquorice wands, chocolate frogs and anything else he could grab.

Paying the woman he made his way back to his friends who were eyeing the food hungrily.

"You know I did get this for you and no protesting right." they all looked like they wanted to argue but hunger overtook them, so they dived for the food. Watching for a moment as they divided the food between them, he smiled and joined in.

The food was practically finished before anyone spoke again.

"So what do you guy have planned for the start of term prank." Ginny asked between mouthfuls of chocolate frogs.

"It's going to be spectacular you'll love it" Fred said pulling out a pad from the inside of his coat pocket. Flipping it open they saw detailed drawings of plans for what looked like different pranks.

"Right now, this is our first idea," George pointed to the diagram on the first page "this is the plan we sneak down into the kitchens and pour the potion into the professor's drinks. After they drink it, there is a gap of maybe 10 minutes then the mayhem begins." George finished with an evil smirk

"All we have to do is get the potion and it's already, genius right?" Fred said excitedly indicating the plan on the flip book next to him.

"Wow," Harry said "I didn't know you put this much thought into your plans. It's like a battle plan"

Ginny scoffed at Harry's comment "You have no idea. I could hear them planning late into the night most of the time. It was really annoying, can't say that I'm not going to miss it though. You guys have got to let me help you out, I need a laugh, please" she asked although Harry didn't think that it was much of a request.

The boys didn't even have to think about it "Gin we would never leave you out of this, let's think of it as a celebration of you getting back to normal." Fred said looking to George who was nodding along with him.

"If Ginny's in so am I." Luna said from her position in the corner

"I'm in too but only if you let me pay for any supplies you need and I can help in the future." grinning the twins eagerly accepted his terms.

"Deal!" they said together.

"Great let's get started then, we don't have all day." Harry said pulling their flip board towards himself he began to draw his plan on it.

That's it so please R&R