The Burrow was a hive of activity as its occupants hustled up and down around it.

Mrs Weasley was in full swing in the kitchen as she prepared lunch for everyone, Bill and Fleur sat at the kitchen table discussing something while huddled over a collection of magazines, Charlie and the twins were outside laughing raucously at some jokes that they were sharing and Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat together in the room that Hermione and Ginny shared, talking.

Or more appropriately, scheming.

"It's a good thing that Hedwig got here when everyone was busy yesterday, otherwise Mum would have been on us faster than Snape running from a bottle of shampoo..." Ron said he sat at a chair while Hermione and Ginny sat on different beds, across from each other.

"So... Harry's back in Britain... And he plans on coming for Bill and Fleur's wedding. But he doesn't want anyone knowing that he's here until it's time for him to come over here. He wants to spend some time with us until he has to go to some Gala thing that Princess Roxy invited him to go to..." Hermione read the letter that they had received again.

"Nice that to know that even with his new life and all he's got going for him, he still finds time for us back here..." Ginny smiled.

"Of course, Ginny. We're his friends. He couldn't just abandon us. Like I may have done when we were a bit younger..." Ron looked slightly ashamed at the thought.

"Hush, Ron. You've gotten much better at handling your temper and jealousy since then. You're not perfect yet, mind you, but you are getting there, I suppose," Hermione grinned and Ginny laughed outright at Ron's insulted expression.

"I'll let that one slide..." Ron said after a few moments. "So... Harry? What are we going to do about it? About him rather? He wanted to know if there were any enchantments that would prevent him from coming directly here and he mentioned that even though he's been learning magic in Magix..." Ron paused. "He's still not independent of his wand and since there's still the Trace on it as he's not seventeen yet..."

"Well, you two are of age, aren't you? You can do magic without the Trace on you and you can Apparate and do pretty much what you want to, right?" Ginny said.

"With our Mum?" Ron scoffed. "Hardly likely..."

"If Harry agrees, why not just meet him somewhere and bring him here? You two are boyfriend and girlfriend. It's not unusual for you two to want to go out on a date. Just tell anyone who asks that you're going out on one and when you come back, you'll just be bringing an extra guest with you!" Ginny suggested.

"This isn't exactly the sort of the climate to go out on a date with, though." Hermione pointed out. "Especially with the attack on Diagon Alley months ago and then with the latest Hogsmeade attack... People have less time for these things now. They're too afraid to do these things now."

"Not Bill and Fleur though. Even in the middle of a war, they're planning a big wedding and inviting everyone they can..." Ron chortled.

"Inviting everyone they can and then having them pass through every sort of protective enchantment they could think of..." Ginny said.

"Your idea has merit though, Ginny. How about we feel out how the other members of your family and Fleur feel about things before we do anything? If the feeling's positive, I can write Harry back this evening and let him know that Ron and I will come to collect him somewhere..." Hermione suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Ginny got up. "In fact, I'll go help you get started on that right now..."

As she strode out the door, Ron and Hermione looked at one another.

"And to think that she used to be such a quiet, shy little girl that wouldn't even think of scheming like this..." Ron shook his head, as if he were in disbelief.

"Well, Ronald," Hermione rolled her eyes. "She did grow up. I hope you realise that. So did we, as a matter of fact..." she pointed out.

"Yeah, but sometimes growing up sucks..." Ron muttered.

"Does it suck when I do this?" Hermione walked over and leaned in to kiss him.

"Maybe growing up isn't so bad after all..." Ron sounded as if he were in a daze when they broke apart.

Hermione giggled.

"Now come on," she took his hand as he got up from the chair. "we can't possibly send Ginny into battle alone..."

Harry set on the edge of his bed after he got back in from his trip to Grimmauld Place, reading the letter that Ron had sent him via Pigwidgeon as the tiny owl fluttered around the room noisily, thoroughly irritating Hedwig as she hooted angrily at him (the owl).

Hey Harry,

We did like you asked and got a feel of things around here.

There's a bunch of enchantments put up around the Burrow and its environs. Everything that the Order, Dumbledore and the Ministry could think of . Nobody's getting through that if they have even so much as a bad thought against any of us here, I reckon. Maybe it'll keep out my Great Aunt Muriel. She's a right miserable old bat and you should hope you never have to meet her.

Anyway Hermione's badgering me to get back on topic, so yeah. It's about as safe here as anyone on our side of things could make it. I dare say if the fairies you hang around with were in on this, that's the only way it would be even safer!

Bill and Fleur still want you to come of course. And I think Mum misses having the chance to feed you up- even though by the looks of things, Magix is doing you really well and you don't seem to need it as much anymore...

Ginny's in on things with us, so no worries about her. She's been helping us out a bit with things. She, Hermione and I all suspect that Bill and Dad suspect what we've been up to. They all but pulled us aside and in as much as they could, told us that you'd always be welcome here and that they wouldn't mind it at all if you found a way to get here. I guess then they'll defend you if anyone else tries to raise a stink about it.

So yeah. You're all clear to come here. Hermione and I will come get you in two days if that's okay with you. Send your reply with Pig an let us know what you're doing.

-Ron. (And Hermione. And Ginny.)

Harry smiled and shook his head as he read through the letter again. Ron...

"Well then, I can't keep them waiting and I suspect the longer I keep Pig here waiting for a letter, the more irritated you'll get, eh?" Harry chuckled as he looked at a thoroughly irritated Hedwig who was now settling for what was as close to a glare as an owl could possibly get.

He walked over to the desk and pulled out a sheet of paper and pen and began to write his response.

Hey Ron,

All that sounds fine. I will meet you then at the date you agreed. Say about three pm at The Leaky Cauldron? I won't be in a disguise though since I've run out of my means to do so. Just look for the bloke wearing a dark grey, hooded cloak, reading a book on Magical Essences by Carolina Villanueva. That will be me. Just to be on the safe side though, feel free to ask me a 'security question'. Something that you know that only we would know.

-Harry.

Harry folded his response letter, sealed it in an envelope and scribbled Ron's name on the front of said envelope.

"Go on then. Take this to Ron..." Harry fastened the letter onto Pigwidgeon's leg and the little owl took off.

Hedwig hooted loudly, as if it were a sigh of relief.

"I know, girl. That owl's still annoying, even now..." Harry flopped back into the bed and began thinking of what he was going to be up to in the next few days.

Harry sat in a corner of The Leaky Cauldron, reading his copy of Magical Essences and sipping at a Butterbeer idly.

All his belongings were shrunk and fit inside his backpack (except for Hedwig naturally, who would be flying ahead as the protections around the Burrow allowed in owls as long as they weren't carrying anything harmful to its occupants), which he'd placed in the vacant chair next to him.

Over the top of his book he noted the door to the establishment from the Diagon Alley end open and Ron and Hermione stepped in, casting furtive glances over their shoulders.

He leaned back in his chair slightly and waited for them to notice him.

Hermione noticed him first.

Grabbing Ron's attention, she walked over towards Harry and asked him: "What happened with the... potion I brewed in our Second Year?"

"You brewed Polyjuice Potion so you, me and Ron could infiltrate the Slytherin dorms and find out if Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin. Worked well enough for Ron and I? You on the other hand? You mistook a cat hair for a human hair and were stuck with a furry body for few days..." Harry chortled.

"I consider it one of my greatest failures in life..." Hermione muttered as she sat next to him and Ron came over, bringing Butterbeers for himself and her.

"Well, how was the trip?" Harry cast an anti-eavesdropping charm he'd learnt in Magix under the table with his wand.

"I think we should be asking you that question. After all," Ron took a sip of his drink. "you travelled here from a much farther distance..."

"Our trip was fine." Hermione rolled her eyes. "We just had to get beyond the anti-Apparition wards and Apparate from there. Or rather, I Apparated and took Ron along for the ride..."

"Failed your Apparation test, didn't you, Ron?" Harry chuckled.

"Barely. Bloody Twycross or whatever that bloke's name was... he failed me because I'd left half an eyebrow behind. Half an eyebrow! People was there, Splinching their arms and legs off and I get failed for losing a bit of hair..." Ron grumbled.

"Really unfortunate, that..." Harry sympathised.

"Shouldn't we get going now? I mean, the longer we stay out here in the open..." Hermione looked around worriedly.

"Right as usual, Hermione..." Harry put away his book and stood up. "Shall we?"

"We shall." Hermione smiled.

The trio appeared in a countryside field, with the nearest buildings apparently so far in the distance, they could barely be seen.

"We have to walk for a bit to get up to the Burrow. It's not too far, but you'll still have a bit of exercise. Bill and Fleur wanted to take no chances and everyone else agreed. No one can Apparate in or fly in and even though we still have the Floo connected to the broader network, it's now password protected and even then, people with harmful intentions... Let's just say, they may find themselves flung back rather violently to where they started..." Ron chuckled and Harry laughed too.

"Feel that, Harry?" Hermione asked him.

Harry stopped. Spending a year at magic school in Magix, where they actually taught their students to hone a sixth sense- the magic sense, he did indeed feel it.

"That would be the edge of the protective enchantments, wouldn't it?" Harry turned to her.

"That it would." Hermione nodded. "You just walked through the barrier of sorts. If you'd been a Death Eater, the barrier would have made itself visible and... it wouldn't have been pretty for you..."

"I see. I learnt about lots of different types of protective barriers this past year. Things from protecting food from bugs and such, keeping wandering children where they're supposed to be to the big stuff. Protecting a location from attack, or at least, warning of people with bad intent approaching..." Harry noted.

"You have to tell me all about the magic that you've learnt there. It must be fascinating, learning all about a new kind of magic like that. And you've met the legendary Morgana Le Fay! What is she like really? Is she nice? Intimidating? What's Tir Nan Og really like?" Hermione fired off in rapid succession.

"It is rather fascinating and as for Morgana... I don't think I've ever thought of her as intimidating at all. Well at least, not in the way you're probably thinking. She is Roxy's mum, after all..." Harry shrugged. "As for the legends and tales about her, I don't really know and I've never thought to ask Roxy about them..."

Three figures approached them in the distance.

"The ward let me know that someone was approaching that we hadn't keyed in! Ron, Hermione... Harry?" Arthur stopped in his tracks, his wand still raised at the sight of him behind Ron and Hermione.

Harry waved sheepishly.

"Wait. Is it really him?" Bill and Fleur came up behind Arthur.

"It is him, Dad, Bill, Fleur. We made sure of it before you brought him here!" Ron exclaimed.

"How can you be so sure zat eet ees him?" Fleur also didn't relax her grip on her wand.

"Hermione asked him a security question where we met him and I cast that deception detecting spell that you taught me on him when he wasn't looking!" Ron said.

"You did?" Harry turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "And I didn't even notice? Good job..." he praised.

Ron looked faintly pleased with himself.

"I suppose eet ees okay zen. Welcome back to Earth, Monsieur Potter." Fleur swooped in and before he knew what was happening, had Harry wrapped in a hug and kissed him on each cheek.

"Watch it there, Potter. That's my fiancée who's kissing you, you know..." Bill joked.

"I know that, Weasley. Besides, I actually have my own girlfriend now, in case you hadn't heard..." Harry shot back without batting an eye.

"Magix has really done something for him. Before, that would have had him flustered..." Ron snorted.

"Just like it did with you the first time Fleur was at The Burrow, right?" Hermione pointed out.

Arthur, Bill and Fleur chuckled.

"What? What am I missing here? I sense that there's a story behind all this..." Harry looked confused.

"We'll tell you on the way back up to the house. The others are there and they might be worried, since they just saw us take off without a warning..." Bill said.

"You wouldn't." Ron growled at his older brother.

"As a matter of fact, I would. Now, Harry..." Bill put his arm around the younger male's shoulder. "It's a rather entertaining story, you see..."

"Why you little shit."

"Why didn't you tell us that you were coming?!"

"Fred! George!"

Molly scolded the twins as they greeted Harry in a rather enthusiastic fashion.

"Hero Harry, back from his dimension wandering adventures."

"Learning all sorts of magic..."

"Trying to rid the world of all evil..."

"And even snagging himself a fairy princess in the process..."

"Glad to see you too, Fred, George..." Harry grinned at them.

"Good to see you, Harry. Glad you could make it..." Charlie took his hand and shook it firmly.

"Hey Harry. Glad to see that Ron and Hermione got you here without any trouble then. Hermione did the Apparating, then?" Ginny hugged him briefly.

"Oh yeah, she did."

"Good. Then you won't have lost any hair then..." Ginny giggled and Harry laughed.

"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Ron muttered.

"No, my dear brother." Fred said.

"No you will not." George added.

"Lovely..."

"It's great that you managed to make it here, Harry, although I wish I had known you were coming. Though I do think that at least someone knew you were..." Molly turned to glare at Ginny, Ron and Hermione, all of whom looked rather unbothered at the look that she was giving them.

"I thought it wise in the current climate, to keep my arrival quiet. Wouldn't want the Death Eaters to hear that I was here and try attacking, now would we?" Harry shrugged. "Besides, the first time I came back after the... Diagon Alley incident..." he shuddered at the memory. "...Ron told me that Bill and Fleur were going to get married and would have invited me if what happened didn't happen that summer..."

"And I could have a lot to say about that, but since it's apparently worked out well for you..." Molly looked Harry up and down. "Those bloody Dursleys..." she muttered.

"Well, Molly. Harry hasn't had any of your lovely Weasley cooking in over a year. I'm sure you'd love to have the opportunity to feed him up, would you?" Arthur asked his wife.

"Oh yes," Molly said. "He doesn't need much bulking up anymore, but a nice, hearty helping of food couldn't hurt him..."

"It certainly won't hurt at all, Mrs. Weasley." Harry chuckled. "I love pretty much everything about Magix, but I have to say, your food is one of the things I missed most on this entire planet..."

"Well then, come on! Don't just stand around here! Let's get back inside the house!" Molly motioned for them all to follow her.

"Well, she wasn't as mad as I thought she'd be..." Harry observed.

"Probably was a bit on the inside, but she managed to hold it back since she was glad you're here at all and didn't want to scare you off..." Ginny shrugged.

"Fine by me," Ron wasn't complaining. "You heard Mum. Let's go eat!"

In the Death Eater Headquarters, the Trix strolled down a corridor, talking.

"This 'Lord Voldemort' guy looks like such a loser. He might have some power, but what can he really offer us?" Darcy asked.

"Nothing, that's what." Icy answered. "He and his stupid followers still need wands to cast spells and they're all older than we are. It's pathetic."

"At least Lord Darkar and Valtor had real power to offer us and we got to flex it every once in a while. I mean, we haven't done anything since his little Death Eaters broke us out of that hellhole except trash that Hogsmeade place and if he thinks for a moment that we're going to take his stupid tattoo he's sadly mistaken..." Stormy muttered.

A door opened up ahead and Wormtail stepped out.

"Oh look. It's the wormy rat man." Stormy sounded almost bored, but her 'sisters' heard the mischievous tone in her voice.

"I have a name, you know..." he said, trying to sound brave, but truly terrified of the three witches from another dimension, who were right up there near Voldemort, Bellatrix, Dumbledore, Lupin and Harry Potter on his 'people to be terrified of' list.

"Oh, but wormy rat man fits you. Or rather like I hear your nickname around these parts is... Wormtail. You can change into a rat, but even as a wizard, you still look like one..." Stormy chuckled as she strode towards him.

"Ah, well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure you were on your way to do... something..." Wormtail inched away from her, but Stormy sent a lightning bolt at him, which shocked him.

He took off, running as fast as he could while Stormy flew behind him, sending little lightning bursts at his feet.

Stormy finally let him be after a few minutes of entertaining herself.

Icy and Darcy were cackling so hard that tears ran down their faces.

"That was hilarious!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Sad, but hilarious!" Icy agreed.

"What are you three up to?"

The Trix turned around to see Bellatrix behind them, glaring at them.

"Oh, just entertaining ourselves. Shot a couple lightning bolts at Wormtail. No biggie." Stormy spoke nonchalantly.

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.

"I still don't trust you three. You may be powerful witches with access to different kinds of magic from another world, but that makes you even more untrustworthy to me!" she snapped.

"But your Dark Lord..." Stormy chuckled. "trusts us, so who are you to question it? Are your actually questioning what he wants?"

"My, my. And here I was, thinking that Bellatrix LeStrange here was one of his most loyal Death Eaters. A Lieutenant of sorts, even..." Darcy said.

"You don't trust his judgement? Next thing you know, she's gonna turn spy for that Dumbledore guy..." Icy smirked.

"I would never!" Bellatrix shrieked indignantly, letting loose a curse at the trio of witches, which Stormy blocked with a lightning bolt of her own, sending it rebounding at Bellatrix, who narrowly dodged it.

"What... is going on here?" Snape appeared in the corridor, out of seemingly nowhere.

"Ah, just having a chat with our friend here," Icy inclined her head towards the seething Bellatrix, who looked ready to try cursing them again.

"It seems like more than a chat has occurred here," Snape took one glance at a pissed off looking (more than usual!) Bellatrix. "but alas, it is not any of my concern. Bellatrix, I have come for you. The Dark Lord wishes to speak with you..."

"Fine." Bellatrix scowled as she left with Snape.

"This isn't over, you three..." she growled as she left.

"Looking forward to it, Bella..." Stormy mocked.

"Messing with her is almost worth it..." Stormy said after a while.

"Almost but not quite..." Darcy shook her head.

"Soon enough, my sisters. Soon enough. The Trix serve no master anymore, after all..." Icy said. "Now come on. Let's go find that library in this place that we heard them talking about. I want to know if this world has any real magical treasures for the taking..."