"It's funny how,

The walk of life

Can take you down

Without a fight"

-Calls Me Home

Chapter 11: Hogwarts, Here We Come

Disclaimer: I own the plotline, nothing else.

Harry woke up bright and early the next morning to the sound of two identical twin snores. So, being as quiet as he possibly could, the teen made his way out of the room he shared with Fred and George and went downstairs to see if his godfather had awakened yet.

"Morning, kiddo," Sirius greeted the sleepy-eyed Gryffindor. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Harry pointed out with an amused smile.

"Ah, well," the older man directed him towards the couch so the two could sit down and talk properly. "I'm an adult now," he stated, "And we're supposed to be up at these most ungodly hours."

Harry laughed, "An adult?" he asked, "You?" he started laughing again, but this time it was from Sirius' tickle attack.

"Oh, hush!" he said, pretending to be offended.

"Alright, alright," the teen choked out, "I'm sorry," he apologized, trying to catch his breath.

"I suspected you might be," Sirius said quite smugly and laughed when his godson rolled his eyes at him.

"So, why are you really awake right now?" Harry asked again after a few moments of silence had passed. "Not even Mr. or Mrs. Weasley is up yet. And they always are before the rest of us."

"I heard you coming down the stairs," he admitted.

"Oh," Harry blushed, "Sorry...I thought I was being quiet enough, but-"

"It's perfectly fine, kiddo," Sirius reassured him before he could babble on any further. "The only reason I was even able to hear you was because I was sleeping as Padfoot," he told him, "When I'm in my Animagus form, my listening capabilities increase to the point where I can hear just about anything. It's a bit annoying, really," he added.

"Then why did you do it?" Harry asked.

"Because," he replied knowingly, "It is actually quite comfortable to curl up like that, believe it or not."

"So, I guess I should have stayed up in my room to let sleeping dogs lie, right?" Harry joked.

Again, Sirius went after the younger boy, sending him into another fit of giggles.

"You two are up rather early," Mrs. Weasley interrupted as she made her way down the staircase. She was smiling brightly at the sight before her. She was glad Harry finally had a real family. Sirius was incredibly good to him and Molly just knew they'd have a great time with one another next summer.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," Harry answered her after Sirius had ceased his tickling rampage.

"Oh, did the twins wake you dear?" she asked somewhat concerned. "I know they have a bad habit of snoring throughout the night."

"No, that wasn't it," he reassured her. "I'm just feeling anxious about returning to Hogwarts today," Harry said almost inaudibly. He was looking down into his lap, obviously ashamed of what he had admitted.

"We all are, Harry," Hermione said, having woken up due to stress quite some time ago. She only now decided to come downstairs after hearing the others.

"How about I go and fetch some tea?" Mrs. Weasley asked as her husband also made his way into the living room. "Or would you like coffee, Sirius?" she added before heading into the kitchen.

"Tea is fine, Molly," he replied, "Thank you."

Arthur had followed his wife into the other room to help while Hermione made her way over to the couch to sit next to her friend.

"I almost don't want to go back," Harry sighed, now sitting between his best friend and his godfather.

Not knowing what to say for once, Hermione merely nodded her head in agreement. She didn't want to return to the place that held so many memories of their old friend either. The Great Hall wouldn't be the same without somebody to nag about eating too much. The common room would be quieter without having the red-head there to yell at for being too loud while she tried doing her homework. And class wouldn't be as it once was without the other boy there to criticize for not paying attention. Hermione wasn't sure if she could go back with that knowledge.

"It'll be good for you both," Sirius broke the new formed silence. "You need to face the fact that things have changed. It's time to accept things as they are now," he wrapped an arm around Harry's slumped shoulders. "You've both been making excellent progress this past month," he told them truthfully. "Don't let it all go to waste now."

Hermione smiled at his words of wisdom. He was right, and she knew it. Still, that didn't make their situation any easier….but there was nothing she could do about it though. She and Harry would just have to 'keep calm and carry on' as the muggles say.

"I won't," Harry decided. "I know he wouldn't want any of us to do that either," he added, referring to Ron.

At those words, Hermione decided to mimic Sirius' earlier actions, but instead wrapped her arm around the slim teen's waist. After leaning into him, Harry sighed contently and remained sitting there quite comfortably until Mrs. Weasley woke up the other children and called them into the dining room for breakfast.

…

"Are you sure you have everything?" Sirius asked him for the umpteenth time. It was now only five minutes until the Hogwarts Express would be leaving and Harry really needed to go at that point.

"Yes," he replied, oddly tempted to call his godfather 'dad' for worrying so much. He was being just as bad as Mrs. Weasley who was currently fussing over Ginny.

"Sorry," Sirius sighed. "I'm just going to miss you, kiddo," he ruffled the boys jet black hair, making it messier than it already was.

"You'll see me at Christmas," Harry reminded him. "Besides," he added, "You'll be plenty busy now that you have a real job."

Sirius smiled. He did have a pretty awesome job working alongside the Weasley twins. After discovering the older man was actually a Marauder, the two boys literally begged for him to help invent new pranks and other products. He was Fred and George's idol since the day they found the map he and his friends invented. The shenanigans the older group of friends was known for had inspired many of the jokes the twins used.

"You'd still better write," he ordered before pulling his godson into big hug, which caused Harry to laugh.

After agreeing, the young Gryffindor took off after Hermione, who was now calling for him from the train's entrance.

Quickly finding a compartment with her, Neville, Luna, Ginny, and Dean, Harry opened the small window just before they departed in order to wave goodbye to Sirius again.

As he waved in return, the older man desperately hoped the new school year would be good to Harry and his friends for once.

…

"I almost forgot!" Hermione shrieked, scaring her friends in the process. They had all been quietly enjoying their newly purchased sweets when the girl randomly jumped up and shouted in horror.

"What is it?" Harry asked, slightly annoyed, but mostly amused.

"I have to attend the prefect's meeting a few compartments down," she quickly replied, putting on her new badge of authority. The brunette then gave Neville a stern look, "You too, Neville!" she reminded the boy.

"Oh, right," his face turned red as he pulled out his badge also.

"We'll see you later, Harry!" Hermione gave her friend a quick hug before practically shoving Neville out of the small door.

The rest of the group then went back to eating their snacks.

"Great," Harry sighed moments later. All of Hermione's shouting had woken his new pet, which caused her to resume the singing she had begun earlier.

Dean starting laughing again as Harry gently took Lyra off of his shoulder and placed her onto his lap. After petting the small puff ball several times, she finally fell back asleep, much to his relief.

"Sorry, Harry," Ginny said quietly after he had silenced the Pygmy Puff. "I tried to get her to stop that last night, but she refused."

"I thought they only sang on Boxing Day?" Luna inquired with her dreamy voice.

"Yeah," Harry looked over at his friend, "You were wrong."

Everybody laughed at the disappointed look on the blonde's face after that.

…

Harry met up with Hermione and Neville again upon entering the Great Hall. After giving Neville a rather long hug (longer than necessary, Hermione noted) Luna left the group for the Ravenclaw table.

Ginny looked over at Dean. He had taken the spot Ron usually sat at.

"You okay?" Dean asked his girlfriend. She had gone from smiling to looking outright depressed in only a matter of seconds.

"She'll be just fine," Hermione answered for the younger girl. She took Ginny's hand from across the table and gave it a small squeeze. Just as Sirius had told her and Harry that morning, it was time to let the past go and move on.

Giving her friend a look of appreciation, Ginny then rested her head upon Dean's shoulder and listened to the Headmaster's welcoming speech.

…

Halfway into his meal, Harry was interrupted from his thoughts by some rather loud laughing. Like Hermione, who was sitting right beside him, the boy turned to see Draco Malfoy smiling and having what was obviously a good time with his friends Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.

To say this confused Harry would be the biggest understatement of the century. He would have thought the other teen to be outright furious and utterly depressed being that, like Ron, his father was killed down in the Department of Mysteries.

The elder Malfoy had tried going after him when Sirius quickly went to his godson's defense and killed the man.

Having known that, both Hermione and Harry were shocked when Malfoy looked in their direction and gave them a small nod instead of the sneer they usually received every year.

What really surprised Hermione, however, was when Draco looked past her shoulder at the youngest Weasley and frowned. Only then did the platinum blonde express the sadness she and Harry had expected to see earlier. For once, Hermione didn't know what to think.

"Do you-?" Harry went to ask her, but was immediately interrupted by her very blunt answer.

"No," she shook her head. Hermione then looked over at Ginny, feeling a bit better knowing that she didn't see the look Malfoy had given her.

"'Mione?" the younger girl asked upon seeing her friend staring oddly at her.

"Sorry," Hermione smiled. "I was just wondering where Dean went," she somewhat lied. The brunette was actually a bit curious as to where her friend's boyfriend had gone.

"Oh," Ginny looked down in disappointment, "He said he wanted to get to bed early."

Hermione sighed, "You know," she informed the red-head, "You two have been a bit off since Harry's birthday party. Is something wrong?"

Ginny looked back up at her, "I don't know," she replied sadly. "Can we talk about this later?"

"Of course," Hermione smiled at her before turning to face Harry.

"You've been quiet," she stated. He had hardy touched his dinner as well.

"So has Neville," he accused. Harry hated when Hermione become unnecessarily concerned about him. He really just didn't like causing others to worry.

"He's been talking with Seamus, actually," she corrected him, not paying mind to his annoyed tone.

Before Harry could respond to that, two letters suddenly appeared before him. Looking around the Great Hall in confusion, Harry caught both Snape and Malfoy, along with the Headmaster watching him.

"Hey," Hermione spoke up, causing Harry to break his staring match with Snape, "Why don't you open them, Harry?" she suggested.

Nodding his head in agreement, Harry unsealed one of the envelopes and began to read the first letter.

Harry,

I know it is only your first day back, but I would like to have a meeting with you tonight.

I apologize, of course. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, I assure you.

Please stop by my office at seven thirty. The password is Blood Pops.

Albus Dumbledore

"Well that's odd," Hermione told him after she read the small note.

"Not really," Harry shrugged, "We meet at the beginning of almost every year."

Hermione sighed and just handed her friend the next envelope.

He opened it only to reveal a note much smaller than the previous one.

Potter,

Meet me in the dungeons at eight. There are some things my godfather and I need to discuss with you.

Come alone.

Draco Malfoy

"Should I go?" Harry asked Hermione as he looked back at Malfoy untrustingly. For all he knew this could be some sort of trap.

"Well, it is after your meeting with Professor Dumbledore," Hermione gave it some thought. "I would just inform him before you go. If he says it's alright, you should be fine." She didn't look completely convinced, but the brunette couldn't think of any other logical answer.

"Good idea," Harry agreed, looking away from the Slytherin table. "Do you know who Malfoy's godfather is?" he then asked, remembering that other boy had said another man would be joining them.

"Sorry," Hermione shook her head, "No."

After having replied, the Headmaster dismissed the students with instructions to follow their Prefects to bed.

"I'll wait for you in the common room tonight," Hermione told Harry. "Be sure to get that necklace inspected," she reminded him.

After agreeing to do so, Hermione gave him a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing Neville to join her in leading the first years to the tower.

Harry was left standing there, confused for so many reasons.

A/N: C'mon guys, let me know what you think of the chapter…You know you want to!