The Hogwarts grounds were bathed in glorious sunlight. The lake gleamed blue, the gentle ripples caused by the squid's tentacles throwing the glittering reflected light back towards the sky. The castle loomed as familiar as home, the windows golden. It was as beautiful as Harry had ever seen it, but Lucie was staring doubtfully. She was decidedly unimpressed as they approached the gates from the apparition point just outside of the station.

"What's wrong?" said Harry, trying not to feel offended by her less than enthused reaction.

"Harry, is this actually safe?" She had stopped and was looking at the gates, which were, as far as Harry could see, polished to a high shine and wide open.

"What do you mean?" He frowned at her. This was a young woman who, he had discovered, looked for and usually found the good in everything thrown at her. Even Malfoy, whom she had quickly worn down from formal civility to cordiality with nothing more than sheer force of will and a customer service smile. He was hard pressed to believe that she didn't appreciate how beautiful the grounds looked or that she was worried about meeting new people.

"Well," she said, frowning back at him. "There's the honking great sign that says DANGER: UNSAFE! For starters."

"Where?" said Harry, completely bewildered.

"There," she pointed. "On the even larger Addams Family gates which look like tetanus waiting to happen."

He stared at the gates, then back at her. It was clear from her expression that she thought he'd gone bonkers.

"In front of the godforsaken wastelands leading up to the half-ruined, structurally unsound, mouldy looking castle? I am using the word castle loosely, of course."

Something clicked in Harry's head. He was so glad Hermione had not witnessed this exchange. He never had gotten around to reading Hogwarts: A History but if she'd told him once, she'd told him a hundred times.

"It's an enchantment," he told her. "To keep people out. I keep forgetting you're a muggle. There's a charm you can use that'll let you see through it, but I can't remember it…"

"And you're the Chosen One who saved the world from wizard Hitler?" She smirked, raising her eyebrows at him. Torn between blushing and laughing, Harry settled for hitting her with a mild tickling hex, which was funny until she got him in the face with some of Weasley's Finest Wart Powder.

"OI! What do the pair of yeh think yer doin'?!" Thundered a voice from the gates, making them both jump out of their skins. Like naughty children caught by teacher, they turned meekly to face their confronter, Lucie trying to hide the wart powder packet in her hands and keep from squirming as her gaze travelled up and further up Hagrid.

"I expected better of yeh, Harry," he scowled from on high. "What kin' of example do yeh think yer setting?"

"Sorry, Hagrid," he said, slightly ashamed of himself.

"Take that curse off 'er at once, and get rid of those ruddy warts! Yeh look like a toad!"

Harry obeyed and Lucie stopped squirming.

"You did look a bit like a toad," she said.

"And you, Miss, will not be bringin' a single Weasley product onto these grounds. Hand 'em all over!"

"Sorry, sir," she emptied her handbag of an astonishing amount of Weasley merchandise, all of which disappeared into Hagrid's many pockets.

"Good. And no more of this!" he waved a threatening finger, but his beard was twitching. Harry's heart rose hopefully. He met Hagrid's eyes and the newly minted head of Griffindor burst into howls of laughter. "It's so good to see yeh!" he gasped, lunging forward and enveloping Harry in a bear hug, knocking his glasses askew.

"That wasn't funny, Hagrid!" Harry admonished him, although he was grinning as Hagrid warmly shook Lucie's entire forearm.

"Couldn' resist! Besides, I'm a head of house now and I need the practice! The two of yeh goin' on like Bill an' Charlie used to was too good a chance!"

"You deserve it!" said Harry, earnestly, reflecting on the choice of comparison. Hagrid grinned bashfully.

"Anyway, this mus' be young Lucie," his beady eyes took in the blonde hair and the funereal outfit. "Arthur told me about yeh. We'd all be happy if George found some of himself again. Charm's Perspicsus, by the way. I'll let you do it Harry, yeh know how I am with that stuff."

Harry watched Lucie's expression change as he administered the charm and was rewarded with a look of awe and a gasp as she pressed her hands to her mouth.

"I guess I know now why you keep this place secret from us," she whispered. "Imagine knowing this was here and thinking about it every day as you sit in the dingy tower block of some crappy Comp." She blinked rapidly. "Wouldn't it be enough to make you cry? I'm so, so jealous."

Harry imagined sitting in the cupboard under the stairs at number four, waiting for a letter that would never come. It would indeed, he thought, be enough to make him cry. He put his arm around her and patted her shoulder. After another moment, she snapped out of her reverie.

"It's nice to meet you, Professor," she said to Hagrid, who beamed at the title. "Will you walk up with us?"

"Why not?" he replied. "Miss Lucie Scott, as a senior member of staff here at Hogwarts-" Harry saw him draw himself up as he said the word 'senior' "-I am giving yeh permission to enter the grounds fer the purpose of attendin' the Memorial Service. Please remember tha' this is a school and conduct yerself accordin'ly. Harry, yer always welcome here. Welcome back."

"Thanks Hagrid," he replied, softly, finding himself quite emotional.

"Bloody behave yerself, though."

"Yeah, Harry," muttered Lucie. He stuck his tongue out.

"Like a pair of firs' years," Hagrid shook his shaggy head, gesturing for Lucie to precede him through the gates.

Harry followed, with a growing feeling in his stomach that he had come home.