Chapter 5

Upon his return, Harry learned that the aurors were now questioning the members of the Inquisitorial squad.

The twins caught his eye. "Ickle Harrikins, we need to lie low for a bit," Fred said sadly.

"Once the aurors give up, we can deal with the rest of the squad." George offered.

"It's fine, there's no rush," Harry told them. He still liked the twins, and his resolve to keep from ever getting entangled with Ginny hardened. He already knew he and she were not suited for the long-term, and decided it was best to steer clear of the Weasley daughter entirely in order to maintain a friendship with her brothers.

"Er, Harrikins," Fred began, "Ickle Ronnikins said you're going to tutor him?"

"Not only him," Harry nodded. "A few others too."

"Wonderful!" George beamed. "We were wondering how we'd pass our exams, and now we know!"

"When do we start?" Fred asked eagerly.

"Tomorrow," Harry admitted. "But don't tell another soul, okay?"

"Our lips are sealed," they said in unison.

There was one more person Harry wanted to find, and he discovered her among the thestrals.

She turned to face him. "Hello, Harry Potter."

He smiled. "Hello, Luna Lovegood."

"You remember my name?" Her pale eyes widened in surprise.

"Why not? You know mine."

She nodded. "Yes, everyone does."

"I suppose so. I am forming a study group, and wondered if you'd like to join?"

"Me?" Luna went from surprised to astounded. "But no one ever asks me to join anything!"

Harry felt a flash of anger, which intensified when he observed that Luna was not wearing any shoes. "Well, I'm asking now."

She nodded eagerly. "I'd love to, if you mean it?"

"I mean it," he assured her. "Um, Luna, where are your shoes?"

"Oh, the nargles hide them sometimes."

"I'll see if we can do something about that," Harry promised.

"Thank you, Harry!"

He grinned at her. "That's what friends are for."

"I said not to tell anyone else!" Harry stared at the crown in the unused classroom.

Ginny Weasley marched up to him, hands on her hips and eyes glaring. "So you'll teach my brothers, but not me? I don't think so!"

Harry wondered how he'd ever thought her attractive. He was determined to carefully avoid her this time, even if he did have to include her in the lessons.

She wasn't the only one.

"You can't turn your back on the team, Harry," Angelina Johnson said reproachfully. The other quidditch players nodded emphatically.

Harry sighed, but acquiesced.

"Get over yourself, Potter," Tracey Davis ordered. "I bet you can't really even cast the patronus charm!"

"Of course he can!" Hermione was indignant.

"Yeah? Prove it!" she taunted.

"I don't have to prove a thing to you, Davis. You were not invited, and there's the door."

"I knew you couldn't do it," she sneered. "Come on, Daphne."

The blonde Slytherin hesitated. "We had a deal, Potter."

"We did," he conceded. "But the deal doesn't include Davis."

She gave him such a pleading look that he weakened. "What's just one more? Tracey will apologize!"

Her friend gave her a look of disbelief. "I will, will I? Why should I?"

"Because insulting someone is no way to ask a favor?" returned Daphne.

"Fine!" Tracey rolled her eyes. "I apologize Potter. And if you let me stay, I promise to help you sometime."

Harry didn't want to look petty in front of Daphne.

Instead, he flicked his wand, and Prongs, emerging in all his glowing glory, galloped the entire circuit of the classroom.

Tracey's jaw dropped. "I take back everything I said!"

"Wish I could have been there," lamented Sirius.

"No, you don't," Harry grumped. "Must have been fifty people crammed into that classroom! And every single one wanted to do advanced magic when they don't know a decent shield charm!"

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you."

"Well…some of them are pretty quick on the uptake," admitted Harry. "Neville…he's a revelation. Good thing he got a new wand!"

"Forget Neville," ordered his godfather. "Any pretty girls?"

For some reason the image of Daphne Greengrass flashed across his mindscape.

"The Weasley girl is a pretty redhead," Sirius teased. "Like father, like son?"

"She doesn't interest me," Harry said quickly. "Very bossy."

"Sounds like Molly Weasley…or Hermione Granger?"

Harry had to laugh. "Hermione is a good friend, bossy or not."

Harry was persistent in making time to speak with Sirius every day. He felt a bit guilty about the way he'd allowed his godfather to languish, lonely and depressed, in the old house on Grimmauld Place.

"So, how is the horcrux hunt coming?" inquired Sirius.

"Well, there's only the ring and the snake left. I'm not sure what to do about the ring." Harry felt uncomfortable even thinking about it.

"You mean, whether to warn Dumbledore?"

"I have to do it," said Harry unhappily. "I don't admire him as I once did, because I think he planned for me to die. But I can't allow him to take that curse, knowing I could save him."

Harry thought of something else. "I'm just relieved that the horcrux in me didn't travel back with me!"

"I've been thinking about that," remarked Sirius. "You mentioned the time-turner was damaged, so I believe that you did travel back, but as an eighteen year old, not a fifteen year old. How else could all your memories stay intact?"

"But no one would notice I'm three years older?"

"Why would they?" Sirius questioned. "People tend not to notice the changes in someone they see every day. Besides, you always look somewhat the worse for wear after a summer with the Dursleys." His face darkened.

"It's okay," Harry told him quickly. "All past, and I am never going back there."

"Good," approved Sirius, while thinking: But I am!