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Disclaimer: I don't own Hp.

Kitty's feet hit solid ground; her knees buckled a little and the golden wizard's head fell with a resounding clunk to the floor. She looked around and saw that they had arrived in Dumbledore's office.

Kitty looked at Harry, who was staring at a patch of the floor, frowning. Kitty heard hurried footsteps coming towards the office. A minute later, the door burst open and Professor Snape entered the office. He stared at the two of them.

'Well,' said Snape to Kitty, 'The headmaster has asked me to tell you that Mr. Potter has to wait here for Professor Dumbledore to return. Kitty, I see you're hurt. Come, I will take you to the Hospital Wing.'

Kitty stole a glance at Harry and followed Snape out of Dumbledore's office.

Once they were outside, Kitty asked Snape, 'Professor, why didn't you listen to Harry when he told you about Sirius back in Umbridge's office? Why did you go away?'

'You know very well that I couldn't say anything in front of her. When you told me about Black, it was I who alerted the Order. I contacted Black and I found that he was safe and alive at Grimmauld Place,' said Snape.

'But, it was to no avail,' said Kitty dryly, 'I mean, he still d-died, didn't he.'

Snape didn't answer. They had reached the hospital wing. Kitty went inside and found Ron, Hermione, Vandyll, Luna, Ginny and Neville propped up in their beds. Moody and Remus were there too.

'Kitty!' said Remus, getting out of his bed and limping towards her. Snape turned on his heel and left.

Kitty didn't say anything and hugged Remus tightly. Madam Pomfrey bustled him back to his bed.

'Sit down,' said Madam Pomfrey pointing to an empty bed. Kitty obeyed. She didn't look at the others. Madam Pomfrey gave her something to drink and healed the gash on her head. She waved her wand and the dried blood vanished. There was a large blue mark on Kitty's hand, where Harry had gripped it and twisted it.

'Um, Kitty,' said Hermione, from the bed next to her, 'Where's Harry?'

'Back in Dumbledore's office,' said Kitty, 'You're okay?'

Hermione nodded. Ron was sitting propped up on his bed, no longer laughing, but looking very serious. Ginny, whose ankle had been mended in about a second by Madam Pomfrey, was sitting on the edge of Luna's bed, who was as usual gazing out of the window dreamily. Vandyll seemed to be asleep; Madam Pomfrey had extracted the glass from his face, and healed the cuts. Neville was looking first at Kitty, then at Hermione and then at Ron.

'What happened to the Prophecy?' said Ron, suddenly. Kitty told him.

'No one heard what it said,' finished Kitty.

Harry joined them an hour later.

'What's up with her?' said he, catching sight on Umbridge lying on a bed, gazing at the ceiling.

'Madam Pomprey says she's in shock,' said Hermione.

'Sulking, more like,' said Ginny.

'Yeah, she shows signs of life if you do this,' said Ron, and with his tongue he made soft clip-clopping noises. Umbridge sat bolt upright, looking around wildly.

Kitty fought the impulse to laugh.

'Speaking of centaurs,' said Hermione, 'who's our Divination teacher now? Is Firenze staying?'

'He's got to,' said Harry, 'the other centaurs won't take him back, will they?'

'It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach,' said Ginny.

'Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good,' said Ron, now munching on a Chocolate Frog. 'Mind you, the whole subject's useless if you ask me, Firenze isn't a lot better ...'

'How can you say that?' Hermione demanded. 'After we've just found out that there are real prophecies?'

Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing completely cured three days before the end of term. Hermione kept showing signs of wanting to talk about Sirius, but Ron tended to make 'hushing' noises every time she mentioned his name. Harry was still not sure whether or not he wanted to talk about his godfather yet; his wishes varied with his mood.

As the Hogwarts Express slowed down in the approach to King's Cross, Kitty thought she had never wanted to leave it less. When the ticket inspector signalled to Harry and Kitty walked through the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten, however, they found a surprise awaiting him on the other side: a group of people standing there to greet him whom they had not expected at all.

There was Mad-Eye Moody, looking quite as sinister with his bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye as he would have done without it, his gnarled hands clutching a long staff, his body wrapped in a voluminous travelling cloak. Tonks stood just behind him, her bright bubble-gum-pink hair gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the dirty glass of the station ceiling, wearing heavily patched jeans and a bright purple T-shirt bearing the legend The Weird to Tonks was Remus, his face pale, his hair greying, a long and threadbare overcoat covering a shabby jumper and trousers. At the front of the group stood Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, dressed in their Muggle best, and Fred and George, who were both wearing brand-new jackets in some lurid green, scaly material.

'Ron, Ginny!' called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying forwards and hugging her children tightly. 'Oh, and Harry dear-how are you?'

'Fine,' lied Harry, as she pulled him into a tight embrace. Over her shoulder he saw Ron goggling at the twins' new clothes.

'What are they supposed to be?' he asked, pointing at the jackets.

'Finest dragonskin, little bro',' said Fred, giving his zip a little tweak. 'Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves.'

'Hello, Kitty,' said Remus, as Mrs. Weasley let go of Kitty and turned to greet Hermione.

'Hi,' said Kitty. 'I didn't expect ... what are you all doing here?'

'Well,' said Remus with a slight smile, 'we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home.'

'I dunno if that's a good idea,' said Kitty at once.

'Oh, I think it is,' growled Moody, who had limped a little closer. 'That'll be them, will it, Potter?'

He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder; his magical eye was evidently peering through the back of his head and his bowler hat. Kitty leaned an inch or so to the left to see where Mad-Eye was pointing and there, sure enough, were the three Dursleys, who looked positively appalled to see their reception committee.

'Ah, Harry! Kitty!' said Mr. Weasley, turning from Hermione's parents, who he had just greeted enthusiastically, and who were now taking it in turns to hug Hermione. 'Well- shall we do it, then?'

'Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur,' said Moody.

He and Mr. Weasley took the lead across the station towards the Dursleys, who were apparently rooted to the floor. Hermione disengaged herself gently from her mother to join the group.

'Good afternoon,' said Mr. Weasley pleasantly to Uncle Vernon as he came to a halt right in front of him. 'You might remember me, my name's Arthur Weasley.'

Uncle Vernon glared at Mr. Weasley, but chose not to say anything. Aunt Petunia looked both frightened and embarrassed; she kept glancing around, as though terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant, a feat at which he was failing extravagantly.

'We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Harry and Kitty,' said Mr. Weasley, still smiling.

'Yeah,' growled Moody. 'About how they're treated when they're at your place.'

Uncle Vernon's moustache seemed to bristle with indignation. Possibly because the bowler hat gave him the entirely mistaken impression that he was dealing with a kindred spirit, he addressed himself to Moody.

'I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house-'

'I expect what you're not aware of would fill several books, Dursley,' growled Moody.

'Anyway, that's not the point,' interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia more than all the rest put together, for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. 'The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to them- '

'-And make no mistake, we'll hear about it,' added Remus pleasantly.

'-Yeah, if we get any hint that they've been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to,' said Moody.

Uncle Vernon swelled ominously. His sense of outrage seemed to outweigh even his fear of this bunch of oddballs.

'Are you threatening me, sir?' he said, so loudly that passers-by actually turned to stare.

'Yes, I am,' said Mad-Eye, who seemed rather pleased that Uncle Vernon had grasped this fact so quickly.

'And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?' barked Uncle Vernon.

'Well ...' said Moody, pushing back his bowler hat to reveal his sinisterly revolving magical eye. Uncle Vernon leapt backwards in horror and collided painfully with a luggage trolley. 'Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley.'

He turned away from Uncle Vernon to survey Harry and Kitty.

'So, Potter... give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along ...'

Aunt Petunia whimpered piteously. It could not have been plainer that she was thinking of what the neighbours would say if they caught sight of these people marching up the garden path.

'Bye, then, Potter,' said Moody, grasping Harry's shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand.

'Take care, Kitty,' said Lupin quietly, hugging her. 'Keep in touch.'

'Harry, we'll have you both away from there as soon as we can,' Mrs. Weasley whispered, hugging him again.

'We'll see you soon, mate,' said Ron anxiously, shaking Harry's hand.

Harry nodded. He somehow could not find words to tell them what it meant to him, to see them all ranged there, on his side. Instead, he smiled, raised a hand in farewell, turned around and led the way out of the station towards the sunlit street, with Kitty, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley hurrying along in his wake.

Please review and tell me how you like it…Part II is over…I'll start Part III immediately…happy reading!