James insisted on having the professors flank Harry and Neville on all sides en route to Dumbledore's office, checking around each corner, keeping an eye on their backs just in case. Harry didn't know why they bothered – Peter was long gone – but he kept quiet, lacking the energy to argue. It had been a draining couple of hours, not just physically but emotionally. He had thought he was about to die multiple times in that short span, and his nerves were fried.

And he had lost. The Time Turner was gone. The Marauder's Map – gone. The diadem of Ravenclaw – however the hell it was meant to help Voldemort, it too was gone. All in the clutches of Peter Pettigrew, who no doubt was en route to Albania as they spoke, making preparations to bring his master back to life.

Not all is lost, Harry forced himself to remember as they arrived at the Headmaster's Office and took the spiral staircase to the top. My family is still safe. I survived. And Voldemort isn't back yet. If things progressed as they had been thus far, he still had perhaps a year before Voldemort attempted his resurrection. And Harry had no intentions of letting things happen the way they had before.

Dumbledore conjured enough chairs for everyone to sit, but not all did – James remained stationed by the door, as though standing guard, while Snape stood stoically beside Dumbledore's desk. Harry and Neville sank into armchairs as Dumbledore took his own seat, and an uneasy silence fell as all eyes landed on the Headmaster surveying the four of them.

"I suppose we should start from the beginning," said Dumbledore. "As I understand it, this all began when Harry here sent a Patronus to his father warning him of a potential breach in the castle. Can you explain what led you to that conclusion, Harry?"

All eyes turned to Harry, who squirmed uncomfortably. The actual truth was that Luna's prophecy had alerted him to the danger, but he didn't want to expose her secret right away. He worried about how Luna might fare under the scrutiny of the Headmaster, and how the man might attempt to use her for his own gains. So he decided to stick with his original cover story, which had carried him so far.

"I had a vision," Harry fibbed lightly. "I accidentally fell asleep in the library and had a dream about Peter Pettigrew attacking the castle."

"What exactly did this vision entail?" Dumbledore pressed.

"It was...vague," Harry said lamely. "But I woke up and just knew something was wrong. So I sent my father a Patronus and went looking for Damian."

"Why him first?" James cut in.

"I gave him the Marauder's Map," Harry admitted, causing James' eyebrows to raise. "I figured if I could find him, I could make sure he was safe and use the map to locate Pettigrew."

"What is a 'Marauder's Map'?" Snape demanded from the corner.

"A live map of Hogwarts, that shows every person's position within the castle and grounds," Harry explained.

"Preposterous," Snape scoffed. "No such thing exists."

"I assure you that it does," James said, and Harry could sense the note of pride in his voice. "Though I wasn't aware it was still in the castle. So did you find him?"

"Well, first I ran into Neville," said Harry. "He was dueling Peter on the third floor—"

"Pardon my interruption," said Dumbledore, raising a hand to stop Harry. "But it was my understanding that this occurred after the incident in the Astronomy Tower?"

"Let me finish," Harry said glumly. "I saw Peter hex Neville and run away. And I saw he already had the Marauder's Map on him. So I figured, if I could get a head-start on Pettigrew, I could prevent him from ever getting the Map in the first place!"

"Oh, Harry," sighed James, realizing where this story was heading. "You didn't."

"I used the Time-Turner to travel back roughly two and a half hours," Harry explained. "Then I began searching for Damian."

"How did you come to possess a Time-Turner?" Snape demanded. "They are highly regulated and not meant for children!"

"Harry was granted permission by the Department of Mysteries to use one to attend his classes this term," Dumbledore said softly. Snape looked horrified by this information, and judging on what had happened, Harry couldn't entirely blame him.

"So I found Damian at Hagrid's and got the Map from him," Harry went on. "And I checked to make sure everyone else was okay. Then I decided to hide the Map somewhere Pettigrew couldn't find it."

"In the Astronomy Tower?" James surmised.

"The Room of Requirement," Harry nodded.

"I confess I have never heard of this room before tonight," Dumbledore admitted. "How did you come to learn of its existence, Harry?"

That story would take ages, Harry thought to himself. "A house-elf told me about it," he said (which was true in a sense – Dobby had directed him to the Room in his original timeline). "I used it sometimes to get in extra study hours or sleep using the Time-Turner, prior to Halloween."

"You were under strict orders to only use the Time-Turner to attend your lessons!" James snapped harshly. "Is that why you kept sneaking up there without permission?"

"Yeah," Harry shrugged glumly. He didn't even care that his father was angry with him; it paled in comparison to how angry he was with himself. "So I asked the Room to provide a place to hide the Map. Pettigrew must have followed me in, or else he was already there when I entered." The latter prospect suddenly seemed obvious in retrospect: Peter hadn't appeared on the Map because the Room of Requirement wasn't on it, either.

"But how would he have known you were in there?" James wondered aloud. "Or, if he was there before you, what was his purpose in using the Room?"

Harry hesitated. This was the moment he'd been dreading, the moment he knew was coming. Dumbledore's face may have been calm, but Harry sensed the intensity in his gaze, the burning desire to understand Pettigrew's intentions. This was Harry's crossroads moment: should he tell the Headmaster about the diadem, or keep that information to himself? Was it dangerous to arm the man with more information he could use to move human chess pieces around the board, placing them in greater danger than they ought to be?

"He wanted my Time-Turner," Harry eventually muttered. "He put me in a Body-Bind Curse and stole the hourglass along with the Map, then set the place on fire. It was fortunate that you found me in time."

"Fortunate that the Headmaster saw fit to add extra wards to the castle," James nodded, exhaling in relief at the memory of how close it had been. "He was alerted to someone entering the tower via broomstick and summoned me to investigate, and we found the room ablaze and knew someone must be inside."

Dumbledore didn't look as convinced by Harry's story as James did. "I do wonder how he knew you possessed the Time-Turner in the first place?" he mused. "You are certain that that is the only thing he has been after, all these months?"

"Pretty sure," Harry shrugged. "He kept going on about what a great gift it would be for his master."

Snape also narrowed his eyes at Harry, clearly not buying his story. "The boy is hiding something, Albus," he snapped. "This Time-Turner story makes little sense."

"What would Harry possibly have to hide?" James snapped, rounding on Snape. "Are you calling my son a liar?"

"He has been concealing crucial information from us for years, and you continue to trust him?" Snape scoffed at James. "You're a greater fool than I thought, Potter."

"Listen here, Snivellus—" James growled, but Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly to head off the argument.

"Now is not the time for petty squabbles," said the Headmaster calmly. "We are all on the same team here." He turned his steely blue gaze onto Harry. "You understand this, don't you, Harry? And surely you must understand the importance of sharing vital information with your allies?"

Harry felt a sudden surge of disdain towards the Headmaster. He still had not quite forgiven him for hiding so much from him in his original timeline...how dare he not share the prophecy with him? How dare he keep Harry in the dark for so long, leading him to his own demise? How dare he demand full transparency when he never gave such respect in return?

"You're one to talk, Headmaster," Harry spat, unable to control himself. "Sharing goes both ways, you know."

Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up, but he otherwise remained quite calm. "I fail to understand your point, Harry," he said. "I have never lied to you."

"You've lied to my father," Harry pointed out. "You told him you lost our family's Invisibility Cloak, when in reality you kept it and gave it to Neville."

James' head spun around so quickly Harry thought it might snap. "You did what?!" he gasped, staring at Dumbledore, who suddenly looked rather sheepish.

"It was never my intention to deprive your family of the Cloak forever," Dumbledore said, holding up his hands in a signal of peace. "I only meant for Mr. Longbottom to use it temporarily, until the need for it had passed—"

"You had no right!" James roared, rising to his full height and towering over the Headmaster's desk. "The Cloak was never yours to give!"

"Control yourself, Potter!" Snape spat, taking a step forward towards James. Both men had their wands drawn and looked ready for a fight, though it was Dumbledore that James was glaring daggers at. The Headmaster made no attempt to reach for his own, merely gazing up at James with a look of sad apology.

James rounded instead on Neville, pointing his free hand accusingly at the boy. "That Cloak doesn't belong to you, Longbottom," he said. "Give it back to my son, immediately."

"He already tried to, Dad," Harry said, seeing Neville's look of absolute terror. "I told him to keep it. Just for a little while."

"You...but...why?" James spluttered. "You realize that Cloak has been passed down over countless generations of Potters—"

"I understand perfectly well, Dad," Harry snapped, suddenly irritated at his own father's emotional outburst. "But he's got a bloody Dark Lord after him, doesn't he? I figure he needs it more than I do right now."

"The Dark Lord is dead, foolish boy," Snape scoffed.

"Voldemort is alive and well," Harry retorted. "He is regaining his strength, and with Pettigrew helping him, it's only a matter of time before he returns. Surely you've felt your Dark Mark burn more strongly in recent years?"

Snape flinched at the mention of his Mark, reflexively grabbing at his right forearm even though it was concealed by his sleeve. James looked astonished by Harry's grim declaration, while Dumbledore studied Harry with an odd expression. He seemed to be looking at Harry with fresh eyes, no longer as a child, but as someone to be taken seriously. About damn time, Harry thought defiantly, meeting Dumbledore's gaze with a look of grim determination.

At that moment, an oddly-shaped device buzzed on Dumbledore's desk; the Headmaster tapped it with his wand to silence it. "Ministry officials have just arrived at the front gate," he sighed. "I take it you will deal with them, Auror Potter?"

"I will," James nodded stiffly. "They will insist on conducting a search. Do we have any ideas as to Pettigrew's next destination?"

"Albania," Harry blurted out at once. All eyes turned towards him, astonished. "I, erm, had a vision about him there, in a forest. A few weeks ago."

"And you chose not to share it with anyone?" asked James.

"Didn't seem relevant at the time," Harry mumbled. Snape threw up his hands in exasperation, as if this was further proof of Harry's deception. And he's entirely right, Harry thought miserably.

"Tell the Aurors to clear the Forest and surrounding area for now," Dumbledore instructed James. "I will reach out to my contacts in the International Confederation of Warlocks and share our suspicions that he is headed for the continent."

James nodded, though he still looked rather cross with Dumbledore over the Cloak revelation. He gave Harry a questioning look, and at his son's nod of reassurance, he swept from the room, leaving an awkward silence behind him.

Dumbledore looked to Neville next. "You've been mighty quiet this evening, Neville," he said softly to the boy. "I must ask, how did you get involved in this mess?"

Neville squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. "Harry told me to avoid the third floor, because of Pettigrew," he said. "Only I decided to get my Cloak – er, Harry's Cloak, that is – and wait for him. I thought I could Stun him before he noticed I was there."

"Why on earth would you do such a thing?" Snape demanded. "What foolish notion possessed you to believe you could take on a Dark wizard like him?"

"I just...I didn't…" Neville stammered, looking increasingly uncomfortable. He gave Harry an apologetic side-glance before blurting out, "Harry always gets all the credit for fixing stuff! I was jealous, alright? I thought if I was able to capture Pettigrew, I'd be some kind of hero. It was stupid, I'm so sorry."

Neville blushed furiously, looking as though he wanted to melt in his seat. So that's what this is about, Harry realized. He never thought Neville would feel upstaged by him, but he hadn't considered what the past three years had been like for him. A celebrity from birth, destined for greatness, only to be overshadowed at every turn by Harry. Better in classes, better at fighting, better at Quidditch...it was no wonder Neville felt insecure around him, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Well, if it's any consolation," Harry sighed, "I didn't do much fixing stuff tonight. If anything, I think I made it all worse."

"Which you seem to have a penchant for," Snape sneered. "Wouldn't be the first time you did everything wrong and made every situation ten times worse."

Harry nodded, unable to dispute that fact. He was well aware now that if he'd simply kept his mouth shut and stayed in the library with Luna all evening, none of this would have happened.

"I think it's best that you both get to bed, before the Minister and his delegation arrives," said Dumbledore, standing from behind his desk. "What's done is done. The only thing that matters now is how we choose to act moving forward." He gave Harry a deliberate look at this, as though reminding him of their conversation earlier that year. Harry avoided his gaze, his anger at the man dulled by the deep exhaustion slowly creeping into his brain.

Harry and Neville went their separate ways in awkward silence, heading to their respective common rooms. Harry was once again bombarded by concerned Ravenclaws when he entered, as they'd been ordered into lockdown with no explanation. He ignored them all, trudging straight up to his dorm and flopping onto his four-poster without even kicking his shoes off. He could not wait another second for the sweet bliss of oblivion to take him, to allow him to escape from the disappointment of reality for a little while.

The following few days were shrouded in uncertainty for most of the students, as Ministry officials came and went from the castle and professors remained tight-lipped about what had transpired. Many approached Harry, assuming (correctly) that he was involved somehow, and he reassured them that the danger had passed. Few believed him, of course, and whispers continued to follow him around from class to class.

Not that Harry paid them much mind. He was too wrapped up in his own self-doubts and self-hatred over how things transpired. He was particularly unsure if he ought to have said something about the diadem...should he have alerted the Aurors to the fact that Pettigrew had such a valuable (and perhaps dangerous) object? He had sent a coded letter to Saul Croaker updating him on what had happened, hoping he could give him guidance on the matter, but had yet to hear back from the man. Was he angry about the lost Time-Turner and giving Harry the cold shoulder?

Harry walked into the Great Hall on a mundane Wednesday morning to the sounds of excited chatter and more animated conversation than he was used to hearing in recent weeks. He learned why when his owl Bandit arrived to deliver his copy of the Daily Prophet, which bore the headline: 'PETTIGREW EVADES ICW FORCES IN N. ALBANIA'. The ensuing article described a near-capture of the man in a small wizarding village in the Eastern European nation, only for him to disappear through anti-Disapparition wards and escape.

"At least he's not hanging around here any more," remarked Terry Boot in good spirits.

"Wonder how he managed to crack the wards?" mused Sue Li. "My aunt is a curse-breaker for the ICW, and she swears their warders are better than even the goblins."

Harry suspected he knew the answer. Peter might not have been able to escape the wards, but he wouldn't need to if he simply turned himself back multiple hours with the Time-Turner and walked away before they could be erected. Shame and fear crept back into him as he thought about the implications of such a powerful tool in the hands of Voldemort, but there was nothing to be done about it now...he just had to hope the ICW could capture him before he reunited with his master.

Still, he was grateful for the more cheerful atmosphere around Hogwarts now that the threat of Pettigrew seemed to be behind them. His final exams proved to be a breeze, with the lone exception of Arithmancy, where he felt he might have scraped an 'Acceptable' grade at best. But that didn't matter to him. He'd decided long ago to drop the subject moving forward – it was too much trouble without the Time-Turner (and Hermione) to help him, and he had more important things to worry about moving forward.

Before Harry knew it, the Closing Feast had arrived, bringing the stressful school year to a close at last. It was an exuberant affair, as students excitedly discussed their holiday plans and relished in the freedom from classwork they'd finally achieved. Once everyone had eaten their fill, Dumbledore stood from his seat and raised his hands from the podium to call for silence.

"Another year in the books!" he announced mirthfully. "Congratulations to those of you graduating this year, and best of luck in your desired fields in the future." Harry spied a handful of seventh-years beaming at this, including Percy Weasley and Oliver Wood, no doubt destined to continue their successes in the Ministry and on the Quidditch field, respectively.

"I know there has been much speculation and concern surrounding the castle this year," Dumbledore continued on a slightly graver note. "However, I can assure you that the intruder outside our walls has departed Britain completely, and Hogwarts is safe once more. I would like to thank the members of staff who endeavored to keep our students safe this term, particularly Professors Snape and Potter."

A smattering of applause broke out for the two men, whom Dumbledore urged to stand together. Neither one looked thrilled; Snape hated being the center of attention, and James still appeared disgruntled with the Headmaster after their testy exchange in Dumbledore's office the night of the attacks.

"I also wish to bid farewell to Professor Potter after a successful year teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Dumbledore with a sad smile. "He has decided to return to his duties as an Auror, but he will be greatly missed for his sharp wit and wealth of knowledge and experience."

Another round of applause came as students murmured sadly about the popular teacher's departure. James nodded politely at the students' acknowledgment, but didn't spare another glance at Dumbledore. Harry could tell that there was no love lost between the two men, and wondered if the revelation of the Headmaster's deception with the Cloak had solidified his father's decision not to return the following term.

"Enjoy your summer holidays and time with friends and loved ones," Dumbledore addressed the students. "I wish I could say the dark days are behind us, but there may yet be challenges ahead for our great school and nation. So relish in these happy days as we rally from our setbacks and prepare to fight on another day. Cheers!"

The students looked around at one another, confused by this somewhat morbid closing note. "What's he on about?" Terry Boot wondered aloud as they dug into their final meal. "He doesn't think Pettigrew is coming back, does he?"

"Yeah, he talks like there's a second war coming or something!" chuckled Anthony Goldstein.

Harry said nothing as the surrounding students laughed at this ridiculous notion. He didn't want to be the one to break the news that they might very well be a year away from Voldemort's return. Best let them go on about their happy lives while they still could, before things took a turn for the worse.

There was a great clamor and scrape of benches as students stood to return to their dorms for their last night in the castle. Harry stood to leave the Hall with them, but spotted Cho Chang and a gaggle of her girlfriends in one corner of the room, chatting animatedly. It's now or never, Harry thought to himself, heart pounding as he approached the group, who turned to view him suspiciously.

"Erm...Cho? D'you have a moment?" he said as confidently as he could muster.

"Need something, Harry?" Cho asked nonchalantly.

"Can we speak privately?" he asked, glancing awkwardly at her leering friends.

"Out with it, Potter!" snickered Marietta Edgecombe. "Anything you say to her will just get repeated to us later." The other girls giggled at this, confirming her words were true; nor did Cho correct her, so Harry sighed and pressed forward anyway.

"Can I write to you this summer?" said Harry.

"Whatever for?" asked Cho, eyebrows raising.

"Just...to chat," Harry shrugged awkwardly. "Maybe get to know each other better."

Harry waited for a response, as did all three of Cho's friends, staring at her expectantly. Cho looked from Harry to her friends, perhaps feeling put on the spot. Then, to his dismay, she laughed, high and shrill.

"Why should I want to get to know you better?" she scoffed. "What, just because you saved me from a couple broken bones, you think we're best friends now?"

"I just thought…" Harry stammered. "I wanted to tell you…"

"What?" Cho demanded. "Tell me what?"

Harry was crestfallen. Cho's friends laughed openly at his expense, but he didn't care one bit about them. The smug look on Cho's face was answer enough for him.

"Forget it," he grumbled, turning to go. The girls were stunned into silence as Harry exited the Entrance Hall, not sparing them a second glance.

He was halfway to the staircase when a voice called after him: "Harry, wait!" He turned to see Cho hustling after him, alone this time. "Where are you going?"

"Common room," Harry shrugged.

"But...but it sounded like you were about to say something!" said Cho, suddenly looking eager. "What did you want to tell me?"

Harry studied her expression, the way she looked far more interested in him than she'd shown at any other point this year. And he suddenly felt nothing towards her. Perhaps the Pettigrew run-in had reminded him of just how stupid and pointless all of this was. And he was no longer interested in playing such silly games with people who lacked the emotional maturity to be honest with him (or with herself).

"Nothing, Cho," said Harry. "Sorry for bothering you. Have a nice holiday."

"Harry—!" Cho protested, but Harry turned and left her behind in the Entrance Hall. Sirius was right after all: if she couldn't treat him with respect, he shouldn't waste his time. Cho was too wrapped up in her own image that she couldn't admit to what she really felt. And Harry wasn't interested in going around in constant circles with someone lacking that much self-awareness.

His mind was suddenly crystal-clear. He knew exactly what he wanted now, and he wasn't going to get distracted by shiny objects any longer. It was time to be honest with the person he truly cared about, the one he'd taken for granted for so long. And he didn't want to wait any longer.

He sat in the common room by himself, watching students file in and bid their friends goodbye before heading up to the dorms. He sat there for nearly an hour, nodding politely as his year mates passed him and wished him a happy holiday, until the person he most wanted to speak to entered.

"Hermione, wait up!" he called after her, intercepting her en route to the stairs. "I need to talk to you."

"I just, erm...I need to finish packing," Hermione mumbled, face flushing red as she'd clearly been trying to avoid him.

"It can't wait," Harry said firmly. He gently took her wrist and pulled her to a quieter part of the common room to speak privately. "I owe you an apology."

"An apology?" Hermione repeated, quirking an eyebrow. "I don't remember asking for one…"

"You didn't, but I owe it to you anyway," said Harry quickly. "Listen, Hermione...I'm an idiot. I never realized how much you meant to me and how much I've taken you for granted. You've been an immense help all year long, not just with homework but as someone I could rely on."

"It's nothing, really, that's what friends do—" Hermione tried to interrupt.

"Let me finish," said Harry. "I only ever viewed you as a friend for a long time, but I don't want to lose you if that's not what you're after. I really care about you, and if you want to be something more, I'm open to it. So, what do you think? Would you be interested in dating?"

Harry waited breathlessly for a response. Hermione stared at him, wide-eyed, looking stricken by her words. For a few wonderful seconds, Harry imagined her saying yes and them navigating a bright new future together. But then, to his surprise, Hermione sighed and dropped her head into her hands.

"Oh, Merlin, Professor Trelawney was right," she groaned.

"Trelawney?" Harry frowned, perplexed. "Right about what?"

"You don't remember what she said in our first lesson?" said Hermione, sounding miserable. "'You will crush on a rival and come to regret it'...and oh, was that true."

"She said that?" Harry muttered, thinking back. Perhaps he'd misheard her all those months ago...but then, the weight of Hermione's words hit him, and he brightened again. "So you do have a crush on me? Well, that's brilliant, right? Because I'm interested too!"

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, looking back up at him sadly. "Everyone saw you approach Cho in the Great Hall tonight and ask her out. It's all anyone has been gossiping about ever since."

"You saw that?" Harry grimaced. "But, she said no, Hermione! So it's okay! I'm done with her completely!"

But Hermione shook her head. "I take it if Cho had said yes, you'd be writing to her this summer?" she asked. "And pursuing a relationship with her?"

"Erm...I guess, yeah," Harry said, not seeing her point.

"So I was just your second choice then," Hermione confirmed.

Harry's stomach dropped at this implication. "No, I didn't mean…!" he stammered. "I realized that she wasn't worth my time, and that you were the person I should've been with all along."

"Well, I wish you'd realized that sooner," Hermione sighed. "It hurt to see you choose her over me today. If you'd come to me first, I would have said yes. But I don't want to be with somebody who only wants me because all their other options dried up."

Harry realized he had made a colossal mistake. "Hermione, please, it's not like that—" he pleaded, gently taking her hands in his. But she pulled them away, turning towards the stairs up to her dorm, sniffling softly to herself.

Harry returned to his own dorm soon after for his final night in the castle. His roommates chatted excitedly about the upcoming summer, bragging about their plans and urging the others to write, but Harry shut himself in his four-poster, reflecting on his latest relationship woes. This must be a new record, Harry thought miserably to himself. Two girls interested in me, and I managed to lose both of them within an hour.

But he'd learned a valuable lesson in the process. He chose to follow his shallow desires, and they'd led him astray. Amidst all of Cho's mixed signals that year, he never stopped to wonder why he should put up with such shenanigans, when he had a steady, drama-free option right next to him all along. Part of him was proud of Hermione for having the self-respect to realize what he'd failed to learn about himself. She wouldn't have such head games played on her, intentional or otherwise, nor would she settle for second-best. Good for her, he thought. She deserves better than me anyway.

That bittersweet thought allowed Harry to sleep somewhat peacefully despite the unfortunate events of the evening. The next morning, he dragged his trunk down to the Entrance Hall, joining the queue of students waiting to board a carriage to the train station. He mostly tuned out the excited chattering of students around him, not that interested in their holiday plans and promises to write to one another. He had his eyes set on his own summer: studies to pursue, plans to set in motion, preparations to make…

"Potter."

The raspy voice shook Harry from his reverie; Argus Filch was beckoning towards him from the other side of the Hall. Harry tentatively approached, examining the caretaker – he looked dreadfully tired and sad, as he had been ever since Mrs. Norris' untimely demise. Harry never thought he would say so, but he felt sorry for the man.

"Mr. Filch," Harry nodded in greeting.

Filch looked to be struggling with his next words. Harry wondered if Filch was going to chew him out for the poisoning incident, perhaps blaming him for Pettigrew's actions. But instead the caretaker said, "I heard you saved the Kneazle, Calvin."

"Erm...yes," said Harry. "My sister's cat. Technically Madam Pomfrey nursed him back to health, but I got him the attention he needed."

"Right, right," Filch muttered, wringing his hands. "Calvin was a good friend to my Mrs. Norris."

Harry said nothing. Surely this was where the other shoe would drop? Was Filch bitter that the wealthy Potters got to keep their beloved pet while poor, forgotten Filch was left to mourn his only friend in life?

Instead, Filch awkwardly reached out and gave Harry a gentle pat on the arm. "You're a good boy," he mustered. "I don't believe what the others have said about you."

What have others been saying about me?! Harry thought with alarm. But he wouldn't look a gift hippogriff in the mouth. "Thank you, sir," Harry bowed. "And I'm dreadfully sorry for your loss. If I could have done anything for Mrs. Norris, I would have."

Filch nodded rapidly, tears filling his eyes. He turned to shuffle away without further comment, leaving Harry to shake his head in bewilderment. The caretaker had never done anything but despite Harry in all the years he'd known the man across both timelines. This was an unexpected development – perhaps Harry was sneaking out of his dorm less often, or else he was just getting better at not getting caught. But he never thought he'd ever find himself in Filch's good graces, and wasn't entirely opposed to it.

He heard snickers from behind him as students gossiped about this conversation, and did his best to ignore them as he rejoined the line. He realized that he must have a reputation by now for befriending the Hogwarts caretaker – not the most fashionable company to keep. And considering what happened with the previous caretaker, maybe Harry ought to avoid such a label.

Harry shuffled forward out onto the grounds, and spotted Luna Lovegood climbing into a carriage. He rushed forward ahead of the line to join her (earning no protests, since nobody else wanted to sit with Loony anyway). "Oh, hello Harry!" Luna said brightly as he shut the door and sat across from her. "Excited for your summer holiday?"

"Very," Harry nodded. Truthfully, he was eager to have some time to clear his head, even though he knew it wouldn't be a typical summer and he couldn't rest on his laurels for long.

"I hope you'll write to me," Luna continued. "Daddy is taking me to Algeria to hunt Crumple-Horned Snorkacks next week, but I'll be at home for the rest of the summer."

"I will," Harry promised. Then, remembering the prophecy Luna had delivered earlier that month, he said, "Actually, if it's all right with your father, I'd love to visit you."

"Ooh, really?" Luna smiled, her eyes lighting up at the prospect. "That would be delightful! I don't get many visitors these days. Usually it's just me and Daddy against the world."

"I'm excited to meet him," said Harry. He still felt like he owed Xenophilius Lovegood for publishing his story in The Quibbler in his original fifth year, even if he couldn't admit such. He also hoped to talk to the man about Luna's apparent gift of Sight, so that she could get the guidance she needed outside of Dumbledore's influence. He also wanted to learn more about Luna's mother and the circumstances surrounding her death, curious if she too had the Sight.

It was a mercifully short train ride home to London, which Harry shared with Daphne and her band of Slytherins rather than the trio. He wanted to give Hermione plenty of space, and Neville too had been avoiding him since his awkward admittance in Dumbledore's office. Harry hoped his relationship with the three was not so far gone that he couldn't repair things the following year. It would just take time for the passions of the previous year to settle down a bit.

When the train pulled into Platform 9 3/4, Harry lugged his trunk onto the station platform, spotting Damian doing the same from the next carriage over. Feeling suddenly apprehensive, he approached the younger boy. "You'll be alright this summer, will you, Dursley?" he called out.

Damian looked up at him, his usual look of passive disdain surprisingly melting away at the sight of Harry. "Yeah, 'course I will," he scoffed.

"Good," Harry nodded. "Just write if you need anything, yeah? We're family after all."

"Yeah, sure, maybe," Damian shrugged, before taking off across the platform. Harry watched him go, a vague feeling of dread in his chest slowly releasing itself when he saw the boy launch himself into his mother's waiting arms. He still remembered his traumatic summers at Privet Drive and would do anything to avoid the same fate for his cousin, but clearly Petunia cared more for her own kin than that of her orphaned nephew in another lifetime. Good for Damian, Harry thought with an odd mixture of relief and jealousy.

Harry's own mother was waiting to whisk her two children home to Godric's Hollow, where Harry deposited his things in his room and flopped onto his bed. He would relish in the brief respite summer granted him, but he knew he couldn't stay idle for long. He had to start being more proactive to bring the fight to Voldemort, rather than wait for things to happen around him. That would start the following week when he met with Saul Croaker to determine next steps.

The past three years had been a disastrous string of missteps and misfortunes for Harry. But he still had his family intact, and he still possessed information that could prove Voldemort's downfall. The grace period is over, Harry told himself firmly. No more mistakes from now on.

Easier said than done…

A/N: Another year in the books! I want to say that I've been reading and considering every review this fic has received, and the (mostly negative) reactions to the conclusion of year 3. It's always disheartening to know that people aren't enjoying the story I set out to write, but I'm determined to see it through to the end no matter what. Sorry if this fic hasn't been delivering up to expectations, but I stand by my Harry as a flawed individual who has a lot to learn. That said, I am aware of the desire to see him get his act together to keep him worth rooting for, and once again I must remind everyone that we are less than halfway through the story, and Year 4 will be a significant turning point for the story and for Harry.

A common complaint I've seen is that the plot is getting in the way of Harry's decision-making. I acknowledge that has been a challenge to balance properly in years 1-3, and I clearly didn't always get it right. Certain things simply needed to happen to set things in motion for year 4 and beyond, but I'm doing everything in my power to give Harry more agency while retaining the key elements of the overarching story. That will hopefully get easier as we begin to depart more from canon moving forward. Harry's circle of confidants will also grow soon as the world expands and his peers grow up around him – despite appearances, this is not a "loner Harry" story and the side characters are not only there for show!

If you choose to abandon the fic here I don't blame you, but if you're sticking around for the ride, keep the constructive criticism coming and I will take as much of it into consideration as I can. On to a brighter year 4!