“You’d better hurry up…”

 

“Or mum will kill you…”

 

“She’s angry enough as it is…”

 

“And I don’t think you’d like to add to that!”

 

“Okay, we get it!” Ron called out to his very amused twin brothers. Today, it was time to leave the Burrow and return to school. Unfortunately, they were both running late, after not only waking up late, but forgetting to pack until the last minute. That was why they Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley were running around the room like headless chickens, trying to get dressed and pack the last few things, all in about thirty seconds.

 

“HARRY POTTER AND RONALD WEASLEY! GET DOWN HERE NOW OR WE’LL LEAVE YOU BOTH BEHIND!” the unmistakable voice of Mrs Weasley screamed.

 

“Harry, have you seen my quill? You know the one Hermione got me…” Ron asked as he shoved another book into his trunk and slipped his shoe on at the same time.

 

“Yeah, wasn’t it by your bed?” Harry replied, not looking at him, but scanning the room for any other possessions. He still didn’t understand how he managed to spread out all of his stuff out so much in such a short space of time. Luckily, he couldn’t see anything, and he hastily shut his trunk with a snap. To the left of him, Ron was doing the same.

 

When Harry and Ron were finally able to lug their cases out of the house, (with the help of magic, of course) Mrs Weasley was waiting very impatiently at the door for them.

 

“Well, you took your time! Anyone would think you wanted to miss the train!” she scolded. Outside, Hermione and Ginny were chatting together in the sleek black car the Ministry had lent them. Harry knew that they were just trying to get back into his good books. Hermione was looking slightly anxious and kept on glancing at her watch every ten seconds while Ginny talked. He felt his stomach leap as he looked at Ginny, she was just so beautiful….then he felt very guilty again about the way he acted at the wedding. Jumping out of his dream, he bundled into the back seat of the vehicle while Mr Weasley levitated their very heavy cases into the boot.

 

“You took your time,” Ginny said, smirking. Suddenly, Harry felt hot and he stared determinedly at his feet.

 

“Well, you know us, we like an element of danger in our lives,” Harry replied absently. Next to him, Ron slumped back in his seat.

 

“If we miss the train, it’ll be your entire fault!” Hermione admonished, looking worried.

 

“Calm down, we haven’t missed it before,” Ron replied, then as he noticed Ginny’s eyebrows rise, he added, “and second year doesn’t count, it was Dobby’s fault, not ours!”

 

Harry glanced out the window to avoid looking at Ginny-then regretted it. It was like looking at a very smudged painting, everywhere was blurry. They must have been going at least as fast as the Knight bus! Even now, the wizarding world never ceased to amaze him. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them when everyone stopped talking. Ron and Hermione kept on missing each others gaze and Harry had no idea what he could say to Ginny. He was afraid that if he spoke to her directly, something along the lines of “I love you” might slip out. The rest of the journey was held in silence, until finally, they were allowed out. As they rushed towards the station, Harry threw a sideways glance at Ginny. Her long red hair was flowing behind her like a river. He jumped when a voice whispered in his ear.

 

“Stop staring at my sister, your trolley is starting to change direction.”

 

Harry snapped his head away from Ginny’s direction and in Ron’s, who was looking a bit disgruntled. It was then that he noticed that his trolley had started to slant, the front centimetres away from Ron’s. Flustered, he straightened it up, but was unable to look his best friend in the eye. Everywhere else was very busy, but people were giving them strange looks, particularly due to the fact they had two owls balanced on top of very large trunks. But frankly, Harry didn’t care; he just didn’t want to miss the train.

 

When they finally reached the station, Harry spared one look at the clock and realised, with a jolt, that the train was leaving in five minutes. There was only enough time for a few hurried hugs from the Weasley parents before they had to leave. Even now, Harry still had to close his eyes just as he reached the brick wall. It just looked so real…

 

“I’m going to meet up with some friends,” Ginny announced, grinning at the three of them before leaving them to join a different compartment. Harry felt his heart sink as she left and wondered whether he would actually see her very often when they got to Hogwarts. Probably not, she’s got other friends, Harry thought miserably, as he watched the beautiful redhead board the train. He had to ignore the agonising impulse to run up to her and tell her how he really felt. But the image of Voldemort leering at him floated into his mind, and he was able to force down his feelings. Then they boarded the train and found an empty compartment.

 

“Oh, hi!” Neville said cheerfully. He noticed them as he passed their compartment and smiled at his friends.

 

“Hello Neville,” Hermione replied warmly. “How was your summer holiday?”

 

“It was good; Gran and I went to France for a few weeks. You wouldn’t believe the difference there, there was some plants growing that I had never even heard of!” Neville said enthusiastically, sitting down next to Hermione.

 

“Oh, we need to go!” Hermione said suddenly, slapping her forehead and standing up.

 

“Why?” Ron asked, looking bewildered.

 

“Head and Prefect duties, Ronald!” Hermione replied, rolling her eyes at his forgetfulness. “You’d forget your own head if it was screwed on!”

 

Ron gave her a strange look. “Muggle saying, don’t worry about it,” Hermione assured him. Then she looked at Harry and Neville. “I’m sorry, but we really have to go!”

 

“Its fine,” Harry replied, smiling at his two best friends. Hermione hugged him quickly, then slipped out of the compartment with Ron. Harry watched them go, and then started to talk to Neville. They had a lot of catching up to do.

 

Over two hours later, Ron and Hermione trudged back into the compartment. The looks on their faces could not be more different. Ron looked extremely bored, and Hermione looked inspired. Hermione then spent the next five minutes describing the meeting and how ‘enlightening’ and ‘fascinating’ it was. Ron added his own little commentary, just quiet enough so Hermione couldn’t hear. He told him it was ‘a waste of time’ and ‘mind-numbing.’ Sometimes, Harry was surprised how different the two of them could be.

 

“I think I fell asleep at one point in that meeting, because the next thing I knew was Hermione jabbing me hard on the arm with her wand. I think she’s left a bruise!” Ron whispered agitatedly. Unfortunately for him, Hermione heard him, and threw him an extremely dirty look.

 

“Who’s Head Boy?” Harry asked, trying to distract the two from yet another argument.

 

“Ernie Mcmillan,” Ron said absently. A moment later, he added, “I’m starving.”

 

Hermione shook her head, “Is there ever a time when you’re not hungry?”

 

“I don’t think so…maybe when I sleep,” Ron said, scratching his nose. “It’s not my fault!”

 

Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron, then decided that there was no use trying to pursue that topic.

 

“Oh cool, Harry you bought some sweets! Can I have some?” Ron asked, noticing the small mound of sweets in the corner of the compartment.

 

“Of course!” Harry replied, smiling. He had actually bought extra because he knew Ron would be hungry when he came back from the meeting.  For the rest of the journey, the foursome just sat, ate and talked, as if they had not a care in the world.

 

Finally, the train drew to a stop at Hogsmede station just as it was getting dark. As everyone flooded off, Harry could distinctively hear Hagrid’s booming voice calling out for any first years. He then spotted a small group of miniature people, who were looking terrified of the prospect of going anywhere near the giant. Maybe Ron’s right, they are getting smaller…  Harry thought musingly, a small smile forming on his features. The first years were all bunched together tightly, as if they were so much as a metre apart, they would get lost forever.

 

As the four of them left to find a Thestral drawn carriage, Ron decided to announce something to everyone.

 

“I’m still hungry.”

 

Just then, Harry’s stomach growled loudly, as if it was answering Ron. “Me too,” Harry said, snorting with laughter.

 

The journey to the school via the carriage was much the same as every year- but with one difference. The mood was no longer as cheery, but sombre, remembering the former Headmaster. Hogwarts would never be the same without him. After what seemed like a lifetime, they were finally allowed to leave the carriage. Harry refused to look at the thestrals.

 

The castle still looked the same, it was still as magnificent and breathtaking as ever. But he no longer looked at it the same way he did the first time he walked through those doors. He had seen so many things there, memories he would never lose, the good and the bad. The castle seemed to have a different aura to it; it was no longer as safe as it used to be before. That safety had come from Dumbledore, but now it was gone.

 

“Erm, excuse me, but Professor McGonagall wanted to ask if the three of you would go to her office,” a small voice squeaked. Harry looked around-then down and saw a small, pretty, blonde haired girl looking at him. She blushed as Harry smiled at her.

 

“Thanks, he replied kindly. The girl blushed even more crimson and then rushed off. Ron, Hermione and Harry said goodbye to Neville, separated themselves from the rest of the school and headed towards her office.

 

“What do you think she wants? We can’t be in trouble already, we only just got here!” Ron wondered.

 

“It wouldn’t be the first time though,” Harry added, thinking about their second year and the car that now lived in the Forbidden Forest. He had a gut feeling that she was going to ask what he was doing with Dumbledore on that day again. As they stood outside the office, they all felt a sense of foreboding.

 

“Does anyone know the password?” Hermione asked. Harry noticed that she was holding into Ron’s arm quite tightly, most likely for comfort, and smiled. For once, his friends were actually getting along. Maybe this year they might not row as much and I’d actually get a bit of peace...or as much as I can with the Horcruxes to find… The smile slid off his face when he thought of them, of what he had to be done. Dumbledore had begun this mission and Harry would have to end it. Once and for all.

 

“What’s the matter?” Hermione asked, noticing Harry’s grave, yet determined look.

 

“I was just thinking, you know about the-” Harry started in a low voice, only to be interrupted by Professor McGonagall herself rushing over to them.

 

“Thank you for coming. There are a few things I want to discuss with you three before school starts,” the Professor said briskly, muttering a password that made the gargoyle leap to one side and allow entrance to the room. As the staircase brought them up to the office, Harry could sense the tension. Even without Legilimency, he now knew exactly what the new Headmistress wanted to ask, and he knew exactly what he would say in response.

 

This time when he entered the office, he wasn’t surprised at what he saw. Apart from a few of McGonagall’s own touches, the office was the same. Harry felt a lump in his throat as he remembered when Dumbledore use to own the office. Fawkes’ cage was also gone, and Harry wondered what had happened to the Phoenix.

 

“What did you want to tell us, Professor?” Harry asked, trying to sound as polite as possible. He didn’t want to get himself and his friends in trouble on their first day back just for forgetting his manners.

 

“It’s a few things. But first, I’d like a word with Mr Potter in private,” she said, glancing at Ron and Hermione. Harry had anticipated that.

 

“Whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of them,” Harry said firmly. McGonagall looked slightly unnerved, but then decided to talk anyway.

 

“I know this is hard for you, but you’ve had the whole summer to think about it and I wanted to know whether you had reconsidered-”

 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you,” Harry interrupted. “But that is between me and Professor Dumbledore and I’m not going to change my mind.”

 

Professor McGonagall looked Harry in the eye, saw the fierce determination, then sat down, defeated.

 

“Is that all you wanted to talk to us about, Professor?” Hermione asked timidly, not wanting to anger the Professor she respected so much any more. Professor McGonagall looked at Hermione seriously.

 

“No, its not. Albus insisted that the three of you would come,” Professor McGonagall explained. Ron and Hermione looked very puzzled. Instead of trying to explain, she just stood up again and walked over to Dumbledore’s portrait, the same one he had seen at the end of term.

 

“Albus, wake up,” Professor McGonagall said softly to the sleeping portrait. The old wizard opened his blue eyes and smile pleasantly at the three teenagers, two of which, had their mouths wide open with shock.

 

“Ah, Mr Potter, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley, how kind of you to come,” the portrait greeted them cheerfully.

 

“Er, hello Professor,” Harry said nervously. It was very strange seeing and talking to Dumbledore like that, but he somehow looked younger, at peace. He didn’t have that tired look he had always had, and Harry also noticed that he had his hand back.

 

“I wanted to let you know that if any of you need to talk, you can come to me,” Professor Dumbledore said, looking at each of them, but Harry in particular. His eyes no longer held that sparkle that came from being alive, but still held that wisdom and trust.

 

“Thank you Professor,” Harry replied, smiling ever so slightly. Dumbledore will never be gone…not really.

 

“You’d better get going, Minerva’s looking a bit anxious,” Professor Dumbledore said. But Harry didn’t want to go. He didn’t want to face the rest of the school. He wanted to stay. Professor McGonagall gestured for them to leave.

 

“Just before you leave, I have one more thing I want to say before you go to the Great Hall to enjoy a marvellous feast,” Dumbledore said, smiling. Everyone looked at him expectantly. “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!” he paused for a moment and then said, “now you can go.”

 

Harry, Ro and Hermione all chuckled as they left; even McGonagall had a smile on her face. “I trust that you will go straight to the Great Hall immediately, but I need to go now,” McGonagall said curtly, and then she walked away around the corner.

 

As quickly as they could, the three of them rushed back to the hall, hoping that turning up late wouldn’t cause too much of a disturbance. As they opened the creaky doors, everyone turned and stared at them. That didn’t surprise them, but what did, was seeing McGonagall already at the table.

 

“Maybe she knows another secret passageway,” Hermione whispered, trying to ignore the hundreds of eyes that were watching him.

 

“Nah, I don’t think the map would have missed any of them out,” Harry replied quietly.

 

“I bet she walked around the corner and then transfigured into a cat and ran there!” Ron said, sniggering. Harry snorted as the image of the Headmistress as the cat flickered in his mind. Even Hermione laughed. People probably were thinking they were crazy, laughing for apparently no reason. But they didn’t care. Even though Dumbledore was gone, they still had each other, and after all, that was all that really mattered.