A/N Just a quick note to say I'm really sorry, I made a huge mistake in the PORLOGUE! HOW THINK AM I?!?! Anyway, I wrote that Harry was seventeen, well he's not, he's sixteen, just about to go into his last year of Hogwarts. I hope I've got that right because I'm rubbish when it comes to the ages and what year they're in!! Sorry! So, Harry is sixteen in this story. Let's move on… wait, is he seventeen if he's going to his last year of school?! Someone please tell me I can't work it out I get all confused! I'm so sorry I seem like a rubbish writer now!
Home Sweet Home
Harry Potter woke up in his bed, his warm, soft bed that he wouldn't see again for four months. He had been dreaming sweetly of his school and how nice it would be to finally go back; summer holidays had always been too long for him, even though he got to see his parents.
"Harry! I won't tell you again! Get out of bed!" His mum shouted at him through the door.
He chuckled to himself and looked again at the clock on his bedside table. Half past six! He grumbled as he stretched out of his bed and then yawned. He looked around his room and saw school books and socks all over the floor. Quickly, he ran around the room and threw them into his trunk, which was already packed with robes and clothes.
Ten minutes later he was downstairs and tucking into his breakfast when his dad came speeding into the room.
"You excited Harry?" James asked.
Harry shrugged while taking another mouthful of cereal.
"Of course you are," His dad said, sitting next to him, "But you must remember, Harry, stay safe, none of this, running around to save the day business, ok?"
Harry stopped eating and looked sceptically at his dad, raising an eyebrow.
"I was just saying," His dad replied, "You need to be on the safest behaviour this year."
"How is behaviour safe?" Harry spoke finally.
"You know what I mean," James replied, smiling cheekily.
"Oh yeah you can talk!" Harry laughed, punching his dad in the side of his arm.
"Sweetie, your dad needs that arm for his wand!" His mum said, walking into the room.
"Just teaching Harry some biology Lil," He said as he got up off the chair to see his wife.
"Ah yes, Harry, you be careful with Ginny," She said sarcastically.
"Mum!" Harry shouted at her. "Can we just go now?"
"We have to wait for Moony to arrive," His dad said. But just as he said it, there was a loud knock on the door.
James walked towards it with his wand out at the ready.
"Password?" He shouted through the door.
"Chocolate Orange," Came a voice from the other side.
James opened the door and waited for Lupin to hold up his hand. He soon did so and held up four fingers. James then stood aside to let him pass.
"Sorry about that, Moony, safety and all," James said to his old friend.
"Its fine, I just laugh at Dumbledore's 'top secret' password!" Lupin replied with a smile on his face, adding, "Morning Lilly, Harry."
Harry smiled at him and Lilly replied with "Hello, Remus," And a small hug. "Would you like a drink at all, anything to eat?" Lilly offered.
"No, no, we best just be off," Lupin replied. "The quicker we leave the sooner Harry will be safe at Hogwarts."
Harry rolled his eyes and Lilly gave him a warning look.
Within minutes the four of them had left the house and were walking down the street with Harry's trunk and Hedwig. They couldn't just apparate from the house because there was a thirty metre diameter of charm, which stopped people from apparating, the same as at Hogwarts. Dumbledore had installed this straight after Harry's fourth year, and if anyone tried to apparate into the area the Potter's were notified immediately and told to leave.
Finally they reached the end of the street and everyone stopped walking.
"Take my arm Harry," His dad told him.
"I can apparate you know," Harry replied grumpily.
"I know, but you haven't taken your test, so grab a hold please," His dad replied stonily.
Harry hated being so young, just because his birthday was in July he couldn't take his test when everyone else did.
Reluctantly, Harry grabbed onto his dad's arm and they were suddenly swooping through the air tight tube that Harry remembered from his lessons, and when he did it with Dumbledore. Then just as suddenly as it had started, the squeezing stopped and he fell on the floor; he still wasn't very good at landing.
"Can apparate he says!" Lily laughed as her son got up off the floor.
"Looking forward to seeing Ron and Hermione then, Harry?" Lupin asked as they walked towards the front door of the Burrow.
Harry smiled widely and nodded as he walked.
"It's very nice of them to take us all to the station," Lily said.
"Well, Arthur does have the liberty of using all those ministry cars doesn't he," James stated while knocking on the front door.
They all heard a great shuffling from inside the house and calls from Mrs Weasley to Ron and Hermione. Then suddenly the door opened without a word and Mrs Weasley scooped Harry into her arms.
"Harry dear! How lovely to see you looking so well," She said excitedly, "James, Lily, Remus! Do come in!"
She stood aside for everyone to bundle into her house and as they did so, James spoke to her. "You didn't ask for the password Molly." He said disapprovingly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Mrs Weasley replied, "I was just ever so excited!"
"It's ok, Molly," Lily said, waving off her husband's comment with one hand, "He's just overprotective. Doesn't want you to get hurt I expect," She added, looking warningly at James.
At that point, everyone jumped when they heard a loud screeching from the stairs.
"Harry!"
Hermione ran over to him and gave him a big hug, which he returned gladly.
"How are you? Everything ok?" She asked quickly.
"I'm fine Hermione, thanks," Harry added, giggling a little.
"Alright mate?" Ron said as he ambled down the stairs to see Harry. "Blimey, you got taller," He said, surprised.
Harry smiled and shook his best friends hand, resisting the temptation to give him an awkward 'guy hug' in front of everyone like they usually did.
"He has gotten taller," Lily said sadly, "He's taller than me now!"
"Mum, I was taller than you anyway!" Harry replied laughing.
There was a short silence as everyone walked into the Weasley's living room. As everyone sat down, Mrs Weasley looked at her watch and said, "Where on earth are Arthur and Ginny, we need to leave!"
She walked out and everyone couldn't help but laugh when they heard "ARTHUR! GINNY! Hurry up! Or they'll miss the train!"
Five minutes later Ginny came strolling into the room after her father, smiling widely at Harry.
Lily and James started to talk rather loudly to Arthur as though they weren't watching their son and his girlfriend, but Harry knew that they were watching intently.
"Hi Gin," Harry said quietly to her and she hugged him tightly.
"We'll say hi on the train," She whispered in his ear as she hugged him.
Harry smiled cheekily as she pulled away.
Within ten minutes, all nine of them were on their way to the train station, in two separate cars. And after about half an hour, they were all standing on platform nine and three quarters saying their goodbyes.
"Harry, be safe and like I said, don't go off doing the 'saving the world' thing without anyone," Harry's dad said to him before hugging him quickly.
"So, you mean if Ron and Hermione are with me then I can do it," Harry replied humorously.
"No, if Dumbledore is with you then you're allowed, no one else," James replied firmly.
Harry gave him a look as if to say 'I was joking!' and turned to his mother.
"Be safe sweetie, if anything happens write as soon as you can and go and see Dumbledore," Lily said worriedly.
"I will mum," Harry replied as she kissed him on the cheek.
Harry turned away to get on the train, but he was called back by his dad's voice.
"And Harry," He said, "I was actually being serious this morning. Ginny's a nice girl, no funny business."
Harry shook his head while rolling his eyes again and laughing. He turned again to climb on the train as the whistle was blown but again he was called back. At this rate he wasn't going to get to Hogwarts ever!
"Harry dear, do take care won't you?" Mrs Weasley said while hugging him.
Harry nodded and turned to Mr Weasley. "Stay safe Harry, and look after Ginny."
He shook his hand and nodded slowly, sensing more than seeing the eye contact between his own dad and Ginny's.
Finally he turned to Lupin, who smiled caringly and shook his hand.
"I'm sorry Sirius couldn't be here," Lupin said, "But you know he's away with the Order. He'd love to get letters from you though, don't forget about him."
"I won't," Harry smiled at the thought of his Godfather fighting for the good side since Dumbledore made it known that he wasn't on the side of Voldemort after all.
"See you Harry!" Lupin shouted across the loud whistle of the train.
Harry jumped onto the train just before it slowly started to move. He turned around with Ron, Hermione and Ginny and waved out of the window.
"Goodbye sweetie! I love you!" His mum called as she waved with tears in here eyes.
The four of them waved until they turned a corner and couldn't see them. Slowly they turned and went to find a compartment together. They found one very close to the back of the train and sat in it.
"It's going to be a busy year this year," Hermione mused as they sped along a high bridge. "Especially for you Harry."
"Why me? You two have exams as well," He replied as he put his arm around Ginny.
"I know, but you have to find the… the Horcruxes with Dumbledore, don't you." She stated.
"Yeah, that's true," Harry replied, "Not much time for homework then!" He smiled.
"Well mate, if it makes you feel any better, I probably won't do mine anyway!" Ron laughed.
Harry and Ginny laughed with him while Hermione looked on in disgust. After that the four of them sat talking about anything and everything; the Horcruxes, their NEWTs, Quidditch, anything. Until finally they reached their destination. Their home away from home which was Hogwarts Castle.
A/N Thanks for reading, I know this is a pretty long chapter, but it's just to make it known how close everyone is. And as you may have guessed, Dumbledore hasn't died, which of course means that Snape and Malfoy will still be at the school. And Sirius hasn't died either, and he has been proved innocent. So it's all cushy in Harry's life, now that is…. Muhahah! Thanks for reading and just a reminder can someone get it straight in my head and tell me how old Harry is?!?! Thanks!
