This chapter is the final one of Book 5! After today we shall be moving on to the Half Blood Prince, though I make take a few weeks to completely wrap up the writing before I begin uploading again. At the time of writing this I believe I have 7 or 8 chapters to go before I get to the end of that book.

But in any case, it's time to close the Order of the Phoenix! I hope you all enjoy it.

Some dialogue in this chapter is borrowed from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: Chapter 38 - The Second War Begins.

The final week of term was a strange one. The Saturday papers were the first to announce You-Know-Who's return, albeit the article was brief given the lack of time the journalists had to print the story, while the Sunday paper had gone into more details about the incident at the Ministry, even going so far as to start praising Harry and Professor Dumbledore despite the tirade of the past year.

Arthur Weasley's funeral was held on the Wednesday before the end of the school year, and though Leo hadn't attended he did make sure to share his condolences with Ginny and Ron once they returned for the final few days of school, apparently wanting a semblance of normality before the inevitable gloomy summer. He shared them with Hermione too who had been released by Madam Pomfrey just in time to attend, and after saying he was sorry she had said nothing, but instead started weeping into Leo's shoulder after the mourning party had returned to the castle.

Harry was still a bit of a sore spot for Leo however, and the only words he had shared with the Boy-Who-Lived had been a brief apology for Arthur in the presence of everybody else. He hadn't been alone with Harry until their last evening at school just before the feast having just seen off Umbridge as she left the school for the final time, when the pair were packing up their trunks with Harry looking like he had specifically tried to get Leo on his own. Leo kept silent, just wanting to get it over with, though when he came to pack away the mirror and the picture he had received on his birthday, he supposed Harry must have seen. "I am sorry, you know." The Boy-Who-Lived spoke up.

Leo frowned, spinning around to see Harry sat on his bed. He took a deep breath, and shook his head disappointedly. "I know you must have felt some claim to Sirius, knowing him before I did and all that. But you should have at least told me what was going on before running off."

"I… I can't explain it." Harry sighed. "I was so focused on what I saw, all logic just flew out of the window. I had to get there and make sure he was ok."

"So focused that you forgot that I had a direct way of getting him." Leo muttered bitterly. "If you'd have told me what was going on, or just stopped to think about the mirror after you used it yourself about two months ago!" His voice was starting to raise, so he took a moment to try and calm himself down. "It hurt, Harry. To be sat here not knowing what was happening. I know we've never been the best of friends but I thought given our new link that you could have trusted me enough to help."

"I know… I do." Harry nodded. "I do now, at least."

Leo could see that Harry had been beating himself about it all, and despite his anger at his classmate he wouldn't rub it in. "Good. Just remember that from now though, please." He turned back to pack the mirror and the picture. "After all, we're going to be spending a lot of time together from now on aren't we?"

"I suppose so." Harry said from behind him. "You're ok with me coming to stay then?"

Leo didn't know the full plan yet, but he shut his trunk. "Colloportus." He muttered, locking it. "I'm not cruel. Sirius is the closest thing you have to a parental figure. I remember you mentioned your other family over Christmas and they seem horrible. Of course I don't mind, you likely need him more than I do." Harry didn't say anything to that, instead just nodding. Leo took that as conversation over and levitated his trunk off of his bed. "I'll see you at the feast." He stated, walking out to the common room where Fay and Anna were waiting for him.

The final feast was relatively anticlimactic, though the cheers for Professor Dumbledore being back were only outmatched by the boos from all over the room when Slytherin were announced as the resounding victors of the House Cup. And soon enough after a final night, the Hogwarts Express was ready to take them all back home.

Anna and Fay had been dragged into a compartment with the rest of the Gobstones team which had left Leo standing there surprised at how quickly he had been left alone by his two female friends, but he spotted Neville waving at him from a few compartments down. Shrugging, Leo went and joined him, Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry. Sitting in between Hermione and Neville, Leo made to settle in by grabbing a book on the Wizengamot. Not long after the train left Hogsmeade Harry went to use the toilet and Hermione leaned into him. "I hear you two spoke last night?"

Leo shrugged. "We understand each other I think." He muttered back, not offering any further information so that he didn't rile himself up with frustration again. Thankfully Hermione understood with a simple nod.

They were startled a couple of minutes later when the corridor of the train began flashing all kinds of colours, and Neville and Leo jumped up wands at the ready as they poked their heads out the door, only to laugh as they noticed three giant slugs in Slytherin robes with almost a dozen wands pointed at them, all held by DA members. Leo grinned as Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley levitated the three into the luggage rack, leaving them to ooze.

It was a silent trip after that however. Neville was content with looking after his Mimbulus mimbletonia while Hermione was silently reading the Daily Prophet in detail. Leo tried to get into his book but he simply noticed the two red-heads across from him, with Ron staring silently out of the window at the passing scenery and Ginny attempting to get some rest by leaning on Harry's shoulder. A nudge from beside Leo took his attention away from questioning that particular relationship as he saw Hermione open up the paper to a page where his Father was grinning and waving.

"He got cleared?" Leo whispered happily.

"Of all charges, with the full apologies of Madam Bones." Hermione smiled back at him. "Harry, look!" She whispered so as to not wake Ginny as she showed him.

Harry beamed happily as well. "About time." He stated, and as the two Gryffindor boys looked at one another, both feeling the same thing despite their recent differences, Leo could only nod heartily in agreement.

After hours of quiet chatter to keep their minds away from the horrors of the last week or so, the Hogwarts Express finally began to slow itself down as it neared King's Cross. He helped out by grabbing Hermione's trunk off the top rack before making his way off the train.

He spotted his parents almost immediately as they were talking to a tall, ponytailed red head man, with Sirius wearing a set of sunglasses with the word 'Freeman' on the frame. Snorting in amusement Leo said goodbye to Neville who had spotted his Grandmother before he made his way over to Sirius and Mary with the group.

"Hey guys." The red-head said to them all. "Ron, Ginny, we're apparating ok? We'll avoid the stares…"

Ron nodded, making his way to the man who Leo presumed was their older brother. Ginny quickly gave Harry a hug before joining her brothers, and almost immediately afterwards the trio disapparated. "Molly was understandably too emotional." Mary explained. "The twins are with her now."

"Harry, are you sure you need to go back there?" Sirius asked. "Blood protection be damned, we've got the Fidelius, you won't be found."

Leo didn't know what that was about, but Harry nodded from beside him. "Yeah, Dumbledore said I needed to for a bit, but as soon as I can I'll stay with you guys."

Sirius looked disappointed but nodded all the same. "Right then, well we best head off. Mary, are you sure about coming straight back?"

Mary nodded. "Aye, you've got better protections and I've already grabbed our things." She looked at Leo. "I know you love the Loch, dear…"

He did, the peace of the water would have been a more than welcome sight after such a tumultuous year at school, but as he looked into his Mother's eyes and saw the worry in them, he knew that avoiding their registered address for the time being was the smartest thing to do. "We'll have years after all of this to spend by the Loch." Leo shrugged. "Better safe than sorry."

Mary nodded again. "Aye, exactly." She said, wrapping him into a comforting hug. "Thank you for understanding."

There was a glint in Sirius' eye as he smirked at Harry. "We've got a surprise for you." He said, before whirling his arm around in a spinning motion above his head and pointing to the magical barrier. "Let's go!"

Leo snorted in amusement again as he ignored the dozens of pairs of eyes looking at a blissfully unaware Sirius fearfully, and he walked through the barrier surprised to see both Mad Eye Moody, Tonks and Professor Lupin having a conversation with an extremely thin woman and an extremely fat man. Harry snorted in laughter as he saw it. "Oh that can't be good." He grinned beside Leo.

Hermione quickly ran off to hug a different couple a few yards away from the conversation that had interested the others, but quickly asked for a couple more moments as she joined them all, now in earshot of the what Moody was saying. "If we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to."

The man's face reddened in anger, and he seemed to suck in a breath to make himself look tougher. "Are you threatening me, sir?" He asked loudly.

Mad Eye was completely unperturbed by the macho action, and without any hesitation, the ex-Auror nodded. "Yes I am." He stated bluntly.

"And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?" The man barked, getting louder and drawing attention.

"Well…" Moody said, and Leo couldn't see what was happening being behind the former Auror, but the affect must have been what he intended as the man leapt back in horror, colliding with a luggage trolley. Harry snorted in amusement again and took a step forwards with Sirius.

"That's enough, Alastor." Sirius laughed. "Vernon, Petunia. We weren't actually introduced at the wedding but Lily made sure to tell me all about you both in great detail. I'm Sirius, Harry's godfather." Petunia gasped, but Sirius simply continued. "Now you simply have to look after Harry for a few weeks and then someone will be along to collect him from you. But until then, I expect you both to be on your best behaviour."

Petunia pointed at him. "I know you… you're the murderer from the telly!" She hissed quietly.

"You should read the newspapers; I've been acquitted on all charges." Sirius explained with a grin, jabbing himself in the chest with his two thumbs. "Though, I've been hearing some nasty tales about you both that would cause your sister to rise from her grave and haunt you mercilessly. If I smell even a whiff of anything similar going on this year, then maybe I'll actually commit the crime I was imprisoned for."

Sirius' tone had shifted from jovial to outright threatening and Leo thought that the woman was about to wet herself with the amount she was shaking. She managed to nod eventually, looking at Harry in terror. "C… come along then H… Harry."

Harry turned to Hermione in amusement. "I think that's the first time she's used my actual name." He muttered, hugging her goodbye. "Actually write to me this summer, yeah? No matter what Dumbledore says."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Of course. Bye, Harry." She added with a wave. The Boy-Who-Lived's eyes then met Leo's once more, and the pair simply nodded at one another.

And with a final wave to the group of witches and wizards, Harry departed with his shaking Aunt and Uncle. Sirius clapped his hands together and barked out a laugh once they were gone. "That was fun."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Professor Lupin smirked.

Sirius actually looked bashful. "It's got nothing on yours, Moony."

"Enough jabbering, we need to go." Moody stated, interrupting whatever the two Marauders were talking about, his bowler hat covering his magical eye, though Leo could imagine it was whizzing about in its socket. "Say your goodbyes, MacDonald."

Given that nobody had wanted to hang around the station, there was only one goodbye left, and so Leo turned back to Hermione. "I'll see you next term then?" He asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Boys." She tutted. "I'll likely see you in a few weeks too, Leo."

Surprised and kicking himself for thinking that she would spend all summer with her parents, Leo grinned at the thought. "Oh, ok then." He stated happily. "See you soon then."

Hermione shook her head amusedly, but she did her own round of goodbyes before wrapping Leo in a tight hug, holding on for 4 seconds, Leo made sure to count. Once she let him go and stepped back, her hair covering her cheeks she joined her own parents. Leo quickly felt an arm around his shoulders once the Grangers had departed, with a grinning Sirius leading him away. "Come on." Sirius was laughing. "Let's get you home. You must be cold; your cheeks are rosier than Umbridge's cardigans from what I'm told."

"Shut up." Leo complained, shoving a laughing Sirius off of him, but as he was led away to walk down the streets of Islington, despite all the problems that the world had started to throw at him, for the first time since he could remember, Leo felt whole.

Reviews:

Balerion Blackspark: That's an interesting idea, but I don't think so personally. I think at this point everybody knows the risks involved and Ginny especially knows that when Voldemort possesses you/tricks you it's very difficult to fight.

SkepticPrinceArthur: I quite like Sirius from now on I can't lie, I'm excited to delve more into it!

Lightningscar: That did come into my thoughts yes, but also that he would be fighting to protect two of his own while not being at full strength. My idea is based around Harry being able to retrieve the prophecy. With him there it's not just a case of keeping it secure, and then there's the idea of springing whatever trap the Death Eater's were laying with as many as possible there. Mary would most definitely have given Leo an earful!