Molly Weasley was the first person Harry saw when he went through the floo network, "Harry how wonderful to see you dear!" she said giving him a hug.

"Harry my boy I'm glad to see you," Dumbledore said coming out from behind his desk.

"Hi Harry!" said Fred and George together and Ginny smiled and waved. Ron just looked away but with a nudge from Ginny he said, "H…hi Harry….h….how are you?"

He seems nervous again. Harry thought. Maybe if I show him how nice I can be he won't be nervous any more!

"Hello Ron," he said and gave a small smile. Ron gave a guilty look and a slight smile back at him. For Ron simply couldn't stop thinking about the fact that if only he hadn't got carried away that day maybe Harry would still be his normal self and there wouldn't be any awkwardness between them. He tried to force himself to think of those words that his mother had said, that he should show compassion and understanding for Harry, but it was so difficult for him.

At that time the flames flickered in the headmasters study and Hermione stepped through. Harry's face lit up completely. He was happy to see someone who didn't seem to show him all the time that she was regretful and upset about what had happened. Harry didn't even remember the event or anything leading up to it. Snape knew that he shouldn't tell Harry outright and should let it come to him in his own good time but it was had for them both and those around them.

"Hermione hi!" he said happily. Hermione put her books down on the edge of Dumbledores desk and raced over and gave him a hug. "Hi Harry! I'm so happy to see you and there is so much that I have prepared to show you about Hogwarts, about your lessons about everything I'm looking so forward to it! Although I might need some help."

"See how you go first Miss Granger, then we will discuss how Hogwarts can possibly help you and your team," Dumbledore swept his arms in a way to indicate that the rest of the team was in fact the rest of the teenagers in the room.

"Besides maybe we can be a help being in an older year than you," Fred said,

"although I won't guarantee you that we will help in much school work!" George said laughing as he showed a poster of his favourite player on the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team. Victor Krum. Someone that Ron was really starting to take a shining to! Even though HIS favourite team was the Chudley Cannons!

"But you are right Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, "I think that Mr Potter would enjoy learning his way around Hogwarts, why don't you start with a brief orientation of the school and don't forget to show him all around outside as well in fact you should start with that. Make sure that he knows what the building looks like from the outside. So that there are no suprises when the school year starts."

Dumbledore knew that Hermione would also show him around inside the castle so that didn't need to be said. But as Harry and his friends were going to be flood to a nearby safehouse to catch the train with the others at the beginning of semester it was important that Harry not show surprise when he saw the size of the castle at that time. This pretence of going to catch the train was to ensure that no suspicion was cast upon the group when school started. They needed to take all the precautions they could to try to ensure Harry's safety. All that they needed to jeopardise him was to show weakness to a student with death eater parents and it could be that Harry would be lost to them all, permanently.

Hermione led the way outside thinking that the first thing that she should do would be to show him out the front of the school, to see out over the lake and know about the squid and then maybe walk out the back of the school to Hagrid's hut.

Of course Hermione couldn't help but to enjoy a chance to show off a little bit of her knowledge during the time Harry was shown around the school.

"Did you know that the giant squid allowed Fred and George to tickle it when they were in their second year of Hogwarts?" Ginny laughed allowed.

"Tickling the squid is not an important thing to learn Ginny!" Hermione said giving her a scowl.

"Oh yeah sis but it can be so much fun!" Fred and George said as they attempted to lock arms with both of the girls. This resulted in the girls moving away and a lot of silly giggling. Ginny backed into Hagrid's door to avoid the merciless tickling of her older brother George. Harry just smiled seeing such silliness somehow made him feel like he was special.

"Who's that?" Hagrid said from inside his cabin, he came and opened his door wide and said "Well hello there we have quite a lot of company at our front door don't we Fang?"

The giant dog got up from its basket, stretched and seeing Harry ran over wagging its tail and slobbering all over the poor boy.

"Fang settle down!" Hagrid said, "you be nice to our guests! Why don't you all come in for a cup of tea?"

And so it was that Fred, George, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all seated around Hagrid's table attempting to eat the rock cakes that Hagrid was attempting to pass off as sweet tasting scones and very strong tea which had to be sipped very slowly or the liquid could make one choke! So eating the rock cakes very slowly so as to not break a tooth the company enjoyed spending time with the kindly game keeper.

"Ya know Professor Dumbledore made me 'n offer he did. Teachin Care of Magical Creatures now that Professor Kettleburn has retired. Of course you'll all be enrollin cos ya know the teacher. But don't expect special treatment just cos we're friends I gotta be fair ya know." Hagrid said sitting back in his chair, "It's a third year and above class and all!"

"Absolutely!" Ron and the twins said smiling and looking at the others who seemed to be taking a little longer to make up their mind.

"I'm only in my second year Hagrid, I can't," Ginny said embarrassed.

"Oh you will soon nuff!" said Hagrd, "What about you others?"

"I'll have to see if it fits in with my other classes Hagrid, I hadn't considered it before," Hermione said gently, "and I expect Harry has to check with Professor Snape before enrolling in anything this year."

Harry nodded vigorously as he was trying to choke down another scone.

"Oh well you'd best be off. I got lots to prepare! But keep it 'n mind will ya?" Hagrid said, "cmon Fang we have forest stuff to do."

"I think I might have upset him," Hermione said as the group left the cottage. Fred and George were talking about if it would be possible to create Rock Cakes like Hagrid did and have it explode. When would it be best for it to explode? When eaten? Or when thrown? Or when dropped?

Ginny just rolled her eyes as she slid her hand into Hermione's. "I'm sure he knows you didn't mean it Mione," she said gently. Hermione smiled and the group set off again to show Harry around the castle. When they had finished their tour Hermione took them directly to Gryffindor tower. Handing Harry her copy of Hogwarts a History.

"I thought you might find it as some interesting reading after today. Why don't you sit down and read for a bit and we can talk about it later?" Hermione asked gently.

"Oh come off it Mione!" Fred said

"he doesn't want to read he only just got here!" George said

"Im sure he'd prefer to play a game of exploding snap with Ron and us!" they said together. It wasn't unusual for the twins to speak as if they had one mind. They were so close as brothers, as friends, almost like the same person.

Harry sat down with the book putting it down beside him. "Exploding snap does sound good!" Harry said with a smile at Ron. Ron returned the smile nervously.

The boys sat with exploding snap in front of them all enjoying the game. Ron won a game and Harry was so pleased for him.

"congratulations Ron!" he said.

"Thanks!" Ron said excited and happily. This was the first time that Harry had seen Ron say anything happily without any sound of guilt in his voice. Harry liked it.

But soon the games had to end as Dumbledore fire called them down to lunch. "I'm glad to see that you are helping Harry so much, this afternoon we need to test Harry to see where we need to aid him in his studies and then, if you behave well there shall be a surprise given to all of you after lunch. If you would like to proceed to the Great Hall that would be greatly appreciated thank you."

Hermione put her book down smiling at Ginny who was playing exploding snap with the boys. To look at them anybody could be forgiven for believing that Ginny was just one of the boys. But I suppose that kind of thing is likely to happen when you grow up with six older brothers.

They all walked out the door and down the staircase to the Great Hall where an elaborate lunch was laid out by the house elves.

"You're really lucky Harry!" Hermione said as she started biting into her roast beef sandwich, "you get to have an aptitude test and checking to ensure that you have learned all we needed to for the past two years! I wish that they could do something like that for me! I'm sure there are loads that I haven't quite understood as well as I could have!"

"Oh come off it Hermione!" Ron said, "you practically know the text book backwards!"

"With a friend like you, maybe even I could learn what's required in the next year!" Ginny said excitedly.

"Well…I suppose I could teach you a lot," Hermione said putting her sandwich down to give Ginny a hug, "but nothing of course could replace a full year of learning with such wonderful teachers."

"But Harry gets to be taught the last few years before school starts why can't I?" Ginny asked.

"Only because of Harry's incident earlier these holidays," Hermione said picking up her sandwich and looking at Ron who looked down at his plate as if his sandwich held the mysteries of the world.

"Hey it's not his fault it happened," Harry stated angrily.

"What happened Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I….I don't remember," Harry stated confused, "but I'm sure he had nothing to do with it!"

"Besides maybe this testing Harry gets to do…lucky thing I love the chance to show what I have learned and I'm sure that I could learn so much more as well…." Hermione didn't notice Molly Weasley walking up towards the table whilst she was speaking until she heard her voice.

"But maybe Harry does know more than he thinks he does. The only thing we can do is wait and see what happens. I am just here to make sure you children are eating correctly."

Molly waved her wand and suddenly, salad appeared on Ginny and Ron's plate and the twins plate had the icecream sandwiches removed and corned beef sandwiches and salad put in its place. They sighed looking mournfully at their mother. "It's good to see you eating so healthily Harry," she said looking at his plate, he had chosen not to have a sandwich and instead to have some roast beef and vegetables which was also on the table. She smiled nicely at Hermione and walked down to the teachers table to sit with the other adults. Harry looked for Snape at the table but didn't see him. He still preferred to do the right thing even if it was difficult at times.

"Alright you lot, I want you all to go to the library where Harry will receive his test from Professor McGonagall, I want you all to remain quiet whilst he studies it and then you can get your surprise!"

McGonagall stood up walking around the teachers table to get to the students who had all sat themselves around Gryffindor table. A walk she was only far too familiar with.

"Follow me please," she said walking down the hall. Just like first years they followed the deputy headmistress to where she led them. But unlike first year this time it was from the Great Hall and into the library. She unlocked the door as Madam Pince was away on vacation and would not be manning the library this summer.

She waved her wand at the nearest table and a pile of papers appeared just like they would at the end of the year testing period. Hermione looked enviously at the tests Harry was directed to complete. Wishing that she was taking them instead of him. She wondered what could be on the tests and whether they would be things that she would know or not. But it wasn't for her to know about. Harry however, was sitting down as directed and looking at the front page of his test. All he wanted to do was sit there and start crying. Who was Bathilda Bagshot? Harry had no idea. Name the four founders of Hogwarts. Harry didn't even know where to start! Harry started to feel panic and didn't know how to cope.

"Harry, stop looking around the room and write something on the piece of paper!" McGonagall stated angrily, "or perhaps Professor Snape would like to hear about this?"

Harry's bottom tingled with that thought. If he sat there any longer without saying anything then he was likely to get into trouble. If he however tried to attempt it and wasn't correct…what then?

"Try and write something for each question Harry, no matter how silly it might seem to you, you might just get it right," McGonagall stated.

Harry sighed as he looked at the test again. He looked at the end of the test and there was a set of multiple choice questions for each of his subjects. Well…it was only a matter of looking over the questions and circling an answer, there were four possible answers so at least he hand some chance of getting it correct. So he looked up at the others, seeing Hermione and Ginny looking at the same book…or at least it looked like they were, both girls were behind a big book together doing something. The twins were laughing quietly looking at a book which had people flying on broomsticks on it. Harry thought that'd be really interesting to fly on a broom, but he pushed the though away looking at Ron who was simply looking at the ground. He looked at him and smiled, returning to look at the floor and then wandered over to see what his brothers were doing.

Harry sighed deeply and started the test. Circling what answers he thought were correct or what he had a hunch were right. It seemed rather simple once he got into the hang of it. But when he returned to the essay questions, even the short answer essay questions he couldn't work them out. He tried to look at the multiple choice questions again to see if there was any clue as to what he could put into the essay questions. He found one which mentioned the names of the Hogwarts founders and he noted them down, but he could not write down which house they were head of or really anything about them. He simply couldn't remember. He sat there staring at the paper wondering what to do next.

"Are you ready Potter?" McGonagall asked, putting her book down and looking at him.

Harry shrugged looking embarrassed.

She walked over to his test paper and stated, "Well Harry, try to write down something for all these questions and then you can join your friends."

Harry decided that as he had absolutely no idea what to write on the questions he'd just make something up! That way he could join his friends and everybody would be happy. Harry laughed quietly as he started writing about Bathilda Bagshot being fascinated with a type of plastic bag used to carry pieces of baths and showers and other bathroom stuff. He wrote of how she first found the idea whilst taking a shower one Sunday morning and her dog got tangled up in the garden supplies. Really…it was a load of nonsense. But at least it was something on that paper. Several more stories like that and McGonagall was happy to take his paper.

"I need to discuss your paper with Professor Snape, Harry, I am sorry," McGonagall said after flipping through the papers a little bit. She was completely shocked with the nonsense on the page, but what she thought was a more pressing issue was what he had written on the multiple choice questions.

It wasn't until Hermione started to feel a little hungry that she looked at her watch. "6.00?" she said aloud.

"We should be going to the Great Hall!" Ginny said as she stood up from where she'd been sitting with Hermione.

The boys followed the girls out to the Great Hall where an elaborate dinner was on the table.

"Hello everybody!" Dumbledore stated, "I was just about to call you! Unfortunately a pressing concern has come to our attention and we are looking to address it now. Have your dinner and your surprise will arrive shortly, stay seated until your professor arrives."

That was all he said, then he disappeared leaving the group alone.

"I wonder what the surprise could be?" said George.

"Maybe they have decided to test all of us!" Hermione said excitedly.

"Do you think of anything that's not tests?" Ginny asked.

"You know I do!" Hermione said looking at Ginny and winking. She winked back and the girls laughed.

Girls! Harry thought looking at them. He wondered if he would ever understand them!

When they were in the middle of their meal, Italian pizza, spaghetti, lasagne and several other traditional Italian dishes were on the table. Along with some garlic bread.

"So…who wants to come with me?" Madam Hooch said as she stood at the door with six brooms levitating in the air and one in her hand.

"WOW!" Ron said racing over towards her.

Madam Hooch had taken the liberty of asking Snape if Harry could have a ride on his broom. Supervised of course so there wouldn't be any possibility of an accident. After some persuasion, he had agreed. Of course Molly and Arthur were happy for their children to fly a bit and happily told her where she could get to their broomsticks.

"Look Harry it's your broom!" Hermione said pointing to his nimbus 2000. Harry smiled taking it in his hand. When he did it was as if a magic force had surrounded him and all he wanted to do was get on it and fly into the distance. But it didn't make any logical sense that he could do that. After all wasn't it his relatives who had said that motorbikes don't fly? Surely broomsticks would go by that same idea. But then, things he wasn't used to, which would truly surprise the Dursleys, had been shown to him ever since he arrived.

The other teenagers went rushing outside with the twins racing ahead of Madam Hooch eager to get to the quidditch pitch. It didn't take much persuasion to get Harry to try to fly a broom and Madam Hooch quickly had him on a broom and flying in the air. Harry was a natural and took to flying like a bird straight out of the nest. Madam Hooch had taken a quaffle, a bludger and a snitch with her into the air which she released and they played a small game of quidditch. Ginny, Fred and Ron were on one side, Hermione, Harry and George were on the other side. Whilst Harry enjoyed catching the quaffle and throwing it to George he wasn't fully enjoying himself until he saw a gold object fly past him. He was fascinated by it and found himself flying off after it as if by instinct. The others just smiled. They knew it was always a pretty one sided game as Harry always gets the snitch.

Harry was amazed by what he could do to get this ball. As if by instinct he flew chasing it around in circles, up and down. Madam Hooch started to think maybe this wasn't such a good idea as Snape would probably rip her to pieces if Harry got injured underneath her watch! But she couldn't help but to smile as she watched the look of pure delight on the boys face as he chased the ball. A little further…a little further…Harry reached for it and grasped it in his hand! That was when they saw it. Just near the bushes where Harry had caught the ball sat an animal. Just watching him. Not moving. Madam Hooch had her eyes on Harry and was busy congratulating him and didn't see it. But Harry saw the look that the others had on their faces and turned to see what looked like a large black dog. He saw it for only a second. Then it seemed to just disappear. Everybody silently chose not to think much about it. It was probably just something in shadows and nothing to be concerned about.

However something that was quite concerning was the meeting that was currently occurring in the headmasters study…