Harry frowned in frustration. They had gone over everything at least ten times and were no closer to determining what had happened that night than they were when they started. If only they could even determine what type of obejct or spell had been used on Ron they would be closer. However despite the combined experience of each of the young wizards sat in the kitchen, they could not think of any spell/oject combo that came close to the slicing yet caustic blast that had caused Ron's chest wound. Their current thory was though it was a muggle item that had killed him, the unnatural circumstance suggested that it had been affected magically, but that was as far as they had got. They were having a break after going in circles for hours and were sat in silence, aside from Hermionie who was going over her notes yet again. Draco, who had joined them sometime after the funeral had finished, had left to get some fresh air once the break had been called. Ginny was rooting through the cupboards for something to eat.

Harry removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, there had to be something. If only they could get the help of the aurors, but they were still rounding up the remnants of the death eaters, who seemed to fall into two categories. Those who very publicly performed raids, and those who had magically disappeared. Draco himself was classed as "safe". In that, thanks to the testimonies of Harry, Ron and Hermionie, he and his mother had much greater freedom than almost all other death eaters. Though they still had to fill in paperwork, as well as meet with three senior aurors, concerning planned trips abroad, or changes of residence. There were also restrictions on apparition. Despite the fall in their family's fortunes, Draco had bought an apartment on the edge of London. This meant he was always at hand should he be needed. His argument was that he should at the very least do what he could to make up for what he had done. This was much more easily achieved with him living close to the hub, he could apparate within London, without having a team of aurors on his back.

The attack on Ron may have been the work of a lone Death Eater, but why him? Harry just couldn't work his head around it. Hermionie was positively flustered by the whole thing.

"If only I had access to decent spell books" she said suddenly, the curse was all they had to work on currently, if it was a particularly hard or unusual curse then that would narrow down their possibilities slightly. That and a confirmation of the report in the Daily Prophet, just to make sure it was correct, would point them in the right direction.

Harry suddenly sat up right

"what time is it?" he said.

"ten o'clock, why?" she replied absently

"Ginny! Train! Packing!" he yelled, jumping up.

"Harry calm down," Ginny said mildly, "I'm all packed, I just need to apparate near the station"

"We're coming with you" he said suddenly.

"what? But Harry I thought we were going to solve this, we've done all this, we can't just up and leave, even to see Ginny off" Said Hermionie incredulously.

Harry's face a had a huge grin on it. "Oh we're not just seeing her off, we're going with her, to Hogwarts". At that moment the door opened and Draco strode in "What's this about Hogwarts?" he asked as he sat down.

"Nothing" replied Hermionie, "Harry's just been up too long"

"No I haven't" he said "think about it, we need the help of more experienced witches and wizards, I'm sure the teachers will help us there, we need access to more spell books, there's the library. What's more if it is a rare spell, it will have books about who can use it" he finished triumphantly. "like they do for the animagus."

"That's an exception, hardly any spells, and their results, are monitored" countered Hermionie

"Look, it's a start. And there's other benefits to having access to the knowledge Hogwarts holds"

"but, but don't we need to ask Mcgonagal about this?" asked Hermionie

"Hermionie, we saved the world, I'm sure the least we can ask is help now and then"

Hermionie considered it for a while, "I'm going to Floo her anyway, just in case" she resigned.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Sat in her office, Minerva Mcgonagall sat reviewing the plans for the evening. Several hundred students would all be arriving in a matter of hours and she wanted to triple check all the arrangements for getting them, and their luggage, to the castle safely.

"You'll do fine" a voice came from above her,

"This year is different Albus, the school isn't the same, most of the pupils have been affected badly by what happened last year. Many of the second years didn't even want to come back after the methods used by you-know-who's cronies and… Miss Granger? What are you doing in my fire?"

"Sorry to interrupt professor, but me and Harry have a favour to ask"

"Name it" replied the professor and Hermionie proceeded to explain Harry's plan.

"You've cut it rather fine Miss Granger, but I'm sure we can accommodate you, if you come to my office immediately off the train and we can talk about it in more detail"

She sighed as the head disappeared from the flames.

"Miss Granger raises an interesting point" Dumbledore stated

"oh?"

"Both she and Harry have missed out of valuable help and knowledge, not just last year, but with each years…distractions. That should be rectified, along with a confirmation and closure over Mr Weasley" even in the painting, a shadow crossed the old headmaster's face at the tragedy.

"I will do everything to make their investigations, and accommodation, as comfortable as possible"

"Maybe they would feel more motivated, and at home, if they were put in their old house"

"Maybe"

______________________________________________________________________________

"Come on! We're going to be late for the train!" Harry yelled, he couldn't help but think how strange it was getting on the train again after all this time.

"Coming, coming" replied Hermionie.

"Okay, three, two, one" and with a crack they apparated to a point near Kings Cross. They hurried to the platform, ignoring the stares of the muggles around them. Hermionie and Harry had only a rucksack each, though Hermionie also had her pouch, which Harry suspected held a lot more. Ginny however had her luggage for the year on a large trolley. They approached the barrier and subtly leant against it. On the other side the train was still there. The three climbed aboard and found an empty compartment. Harry checked his watch an sighed, they'd made it with ten minutes still to spare. As they were sat a knock came to the window and there stood Mrs Weasley. She waved at the three and mouthed at Ginny, pointing towards the door. Ginny rolled her eyes and left to say good bye to her mother.

Hermionie had been quiet ever since they had got on the train. Harry had been afraid of this, getting the train, and even going to Hogwarts, would dredge up old memories. A part of him had wanted to apparate straight there, but this way the three got a chance to talk about their plan in more detail on the way to the school. A knock came at the compartment, there at the door stood Draco. His face was obscured by a cloak, as being recognised for him could be costly. A lot of people had used him as the sole scapegoat for the first battle of Hogwarts in his sixth year, and even for much of what happened last year.

He sat down next to Hermionie, and spoke in a low voice. "I've had a word with McGonagall. I asked if I could help you out in any way I could, as I know a similar amount to you. However I've no emotional ties to get in the way if the details get gory. She's offered me a place in the castle away from the student populace to avoid confrontations."

"That sounds.."

"wait, before you accept, you should know I am getting something from this." Draco interrupted, "she's offered to talk to the minister if I put my all into this. To help change my image so I can live normally."

"she's going to change your face?" Hermionie asked

"Face, name, everything that comes with an image, I'll get a new start and be able to live. Of course I have to prove that I deserve it. So what do you guys think? Can I work with you? McGonagall will be relying on you keep her updated on how I'm doing"

Harry considered it briefly, caught Hermionie's eye and nodded. She turned to Draco, held out her hand and said

"Welcome to the team"

As the whistle blew, Ginny re-entered the compartment, a basket of cookies and biscuits in her hand. She started slightly on seeing the cloaked form of Draco, but relaxed when she realised who it was. She placed the basket next to Harry, pausing to kiss his cheek, and closed the curtains of the compartment. She then flicked her wand, and mumbled a few spells. One to stop people over hearing them, and another that would make those about to knock suddenly remember something they may have forgotten. She sat down with a sigh next to Harry, opposite Draco. Moving the basket out between them, she helped herself to a large chocolate chip cookie, and held the basket out to the others, before putting it on the floor in between the two seats.

Harry briefly explained Draco's presence, and Ginny added her approval. They sat in silence for a while, until Hermionie broke it.

"I brought this long with me" Hermionie said, she brought out an old copy of the Daily Prophet. It was dated two days after Ron had been killed, and the headline stated "Tragic termination of Golden Trio", with a large picture of Ron on the front from after the battle. He was unrecognisable from the joking, happy, fiercely protective friend that Harry had known. That made looking at it easier, as it gave the article a distance. As he read he couldn't help snicker at a few bits. The prophet still had a unique way of over dramatising everything and placing people into black and white categories. Whilst Ron was described as the "brave unsung hero of the war", his murderer was the "cold hearted, evil, death eater".

"Jumping to conclusions a bit there aren't they?" said Harry as he read it aloud. Shaking his head he continued through the vomit worthy biography of Ron's "tragically short" life. He found himself holding back laughter when it got to the description of Ron's friendship between himself and Hermionie. Hermionie was also shaking with giggles. Harry paused in his reading, to look at who wrote the article, "Rita Skeeter, should have known" he said. He flipped to page 6 where the prophet had 'exclusive' access to the report. However when Harry read through he noticed what Hermionie hadn't in her state. The prophet hadn't printed the report, only hinted at possibilities, it stated that it "appears Ronald was hit from behind" however Harry had seen his friends body, there had been no damage to the back. The prophet had gone from fantasies to completely making stuff up.

"it makes sense really," said Draco, "there would have been uproar if they had got hold of the report and published every detail"

"so where does this leave us?" asked Hermionie, mortified at her mistake.

"Right where we started" Harry sighed, "lets just hope we can find the help we need at Hogwarts."

A/N: I'm incrediably sorry it's taken me a ridiculous amount of time to update! i had the start to this floating around my computer for about a month before finishing it. Anyway i hope you liked it. Any remarks/comments/feedback/questions are very welcome as always :).