Exam results came and went, leaving all four of the friends with passing grades in all of their subjects.
Hermione, of course, got top marks. Amisty, though nowhere near as perfect, did much better than she thought she would have.
It seemed like the end of the year came far faster than Amisty deemed realistic. She was packing up her belongings, saying her goodbye to Madame Pomfrey, and boarding the Hogwarts Express in what felt like seconds after her conversation with Draco.
"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies," Hermione told them as they got comfortable in their train compartment.
"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty perfect!" Ron exclaimed, looking aghast.
"I know, but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule," She replied, sighing.
"I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it. We're supposed to be your friends," Ron grumbled.
"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," Hermione replied, voice harsh before she looked over at Harry and her expression darkened.
He was staring out the window, looking dejected.
"Oh, cheer up, Harry!"
"I'm okay. Just thinking about the holidays!" Harry replied immediately, giving her a wan smile.
"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too. Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now -- " Ron started.
"A telephone, Ron. Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year..." Hermione muttered, shaking her head.
"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work," Ron continued as if there hadn't been any interruption.
Harry brightened, wan smile turning into a real one, "Yeah... I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come... especially after what I did to Aunt Marge..."
They continued on in the ride, the four of them playing a few games of Exploding Snap and eating a happy, sweet-filled lunch.
That is until Amisty caught a faint flutter of movement from outside the window. She looked over, eyes widening at the sight.
It was an owl. It was a tiny, fluffy ball of grey feathers, bobbing up and down with a massive letter clutched in its talons.
"Harry?" She tapped him on the shoulder and then to the tiny little owl, not quite sure how to go about it.
He turned around, eyes going wide and he opened up the window and caught the owl. As soon as it was brought into the compartment it dropped the letter into Harry's lap and then fluttering around the room excitedly.
Hedwig didn't look impressed, clicking her beak, Echo hooted, seeming amused, and Crookshanks looked ready to eat the tiny thing.
Ron grabbed the owl out of the air after a quick glance at the cat.
Harry picked up the letter, opening it up and his eyes lighting up, "It's from Sirius!"
"What?" All three of them exclaimed, leaning forward excitedly. "Read it aloud!"
"Dear Harry, I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about the owl's reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job. I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted. There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt -- " Harry started.
"Ha! See! I told you it was from him!" Hermione exclaimed, looking very proud of herself indeed.
"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" Ron pointed out until the owl he was holding bit him on the finger. "Ouch!"
Harry kept reading as if there hadn't been any interruption. "Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your name but told them to take the gold from Gringotts vault number seven hundred and eleven -- my own. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather. I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you. I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable. If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me. I'll write again soon, Sirius."
Harry flipped open the envelope, pulling out a slip of paper. Amisty leaned over, catching sight of the words. It was a permission slip for Hogsmeade.
"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" Harry grinned, glancing once more at the letter. "Hang on, there's a P.S... I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat."
"Keep him?" Ron's eyes were wide and he glanced down at the owl before holding him out to Crookshanks. "What d'you reckon? Definitely an owl?"
Crookshanks purred in response, blinking lazily.
"That's good enough for me. He's mine," Ron smiled down at the tiny little thing.
And they reached King's Cross Station without too much after that. They unloaded, each getting a hug from Mrs. Weasley and yet another invite for Amisty to spend the summer at the Burrow, to which she declined politely.
"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled to the three of them as he left them behind.
Harry waved, heading over to his uncle. Amisty placed a finger to her lips, grinning discreetly at Hermione as she listened in.
"What's that? If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another -- " His uncle started, already fuming.
"It's not. It's a letter from my godfather," Harry replied brightly.
"Godfather? You haven't got a godfather!" He argued, looking flabbergasted.
"Yes, I have. He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of Wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though... keep up with my news... check if I'm happy..." Harry spoke as if what he had just said wasn't absolute insanity.
So, with that, he waltzed away with the biggest grin on his face.
Amisty covered her mouth with her hand, muffling her laughter.
She turned over to Hermione, "See you over the summer?"
"You bet," Hermione nodded, smiling. "You'll be careful, won't you? And send as many letters as you can?"
"Of course, no doubt about it," Amisty gave her a quick hug goodbye and hurried after Harry as Hermione joined her parents.
Another summer.
-=+=-
"Harry, you don't honestly think they're going to get here by car," Amisty exclaimed, staring up at him.
They were sitting together on the now permanent fixture of her camp in the neighborhood. With the permission of the Ministry of Magic, Mr. Weasley was allowed to cast disillusionment charms around it, and Amisty was finally able to clean it up properly.
Boxes slowly turned into second-hand chairs and tables, the makeshift bed now nailed together with a thick quilt Mrs. Weasley sent over, and after Hermione's ever-present demands, Harry helped her set up a few bookshelves to organize the ever-growing collection of books she was harbouring.
Harry even ended up dropping a few of his own books with her as well. Not that she was complaining, having two of everything helped when she lost almost everything.
"But how else would they? It's not like they can just Apparate here and Disapparate us away," He protested.
They had both received letters from the Weasley's the day before, inviting them to the Quidditch World Cup, and now they were waiting for five o'clock to come 'round.
She sighed, shrugging. "Well, what time is it now, then?"
"Quarter to five," He replied after checking his watch, getting to his feet. "I think we should get ready, then."
So they did.
Harry picked up Amisty's trunk for her and headed toward his house. He threw the Invisibility Cloak overtop of her, and she vanished from sight, Echo's cage held tight in her grasp.
The two of them, one visible, one not, crept into the house and Harry left Amisty to the living room.
They had come up with a plan due to his aunt and uncle's... interesting views on other people. She settled down, thankful Echo seemed to understand the importance of quiet.
It was quite a strange feeling, really, sitting there with the rest of Harry's 'family' without them even knowing she was there.
Five o'clock passed, then ten past, then quarter past.
"No consideration at all," His aunt muttered bitterly.
"We might've had an engagement," His uncle added.
"Maybe they think they'll get invited to dinner if they're late."
"Well, they most certainly won't be," His uncle got up, pacing back and forth and barely missing Amisty by a centimeter. "They'll take the boy and go, there'll be no hanging around. That's if they're coming at all. Probably mistaken the day. I daresay their kind don't set much store by punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that's broken d -- AAAAAAAARRRRRGH!"
Even Amisty jumped, tugging down hard on the Cloak to make sure she was still hidden.
Inside the fireplace, there was a chorus of banging and scraping and muffled voices. It seemed to have been boarded up, replaced instead by an electric coal fire.
Harry burst into the room, looking concerned but also amused.
"What is it? What is it, Vernon?" Harry's aunt gasped, staring at the fire with utmost horror.
"Ouch! Fred, no -- go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake -- tell George not to -- OUCH! George, no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Ron -- "
That seemed to be Mr. Weasley.
"Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad -- maybe he'll be able to let us out -- "
The words, from one of the twins, were soon followed by a series of loud knocks on the wooden boards.
"Harry? Harry, can you hear us?"
"What is this? What's going on?" His uncle snarled.
Amisty wouldn't be too surprised if steam started spilling from his ears.
"They -- they've tried to get here by Floo powder. They can travel by fire -- only you've blocked the fireplace -- hang on -- " Harry replied, stifling his laughter as he walked up to the fireplace. "Mr. Weasley? Can you hear me?"
The banging stopped and there was a harsh 'Shh!'
"Mr. Weasley, it's Harry... the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there," Harry called through the boards.
"Damn! What on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?" Mr. Weasley asked voice muffled.
"They've got an electric fire," Harry replied simply.
"Really? Eclectic, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that... Let's think... ouch, Ron!" Mr. Weasley's voice went from excited to pained.
It seems as if Ron had joined them.
"What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?" The redhead's familiar voice asked.
"Oh no, Ron. No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up," Fred replied sarcastically.
Amisty could almost see him rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, we're having the time of our lives in here," George piped up, just as sarcastic.
"Boys, boys... I'm trying to think what to do... Yes... only way... Stand back, Harry," Mr. Weasley cut them off.
Harry backed up, his uncle, however, moved closer.
"Wait a moment! What exactly are you going to -- " He yelled, only to get interrupted by a loud bang.
The electric fire was blasted away, leaving all the Weasleys to come spilling out into the living room, hair fiery and grins plastered on all their faces.
"That's better. Ah -- you must be Harry's aunt and uncle!" Mr. Weasley brushed away the dust on his robes and holding out a hand.
He got no reply and he dropped his hand awkwardly.
"Er -- yes -- sorry about that. It's all my fault. It just didn't occur to me that we wouldn't be able to get out the other end. I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see -- just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry and Amisty. Muggle fireplaces aren't supposed to be connected, strictly speaking -- but I've got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate."
Once more, he didn't get a reply and instead turned to Harry. "Hello, Harry! Got your trunk ready?"
"It's upstairs. Amisty's is there, as well," Harry replied, grinning brilliantly.
"We'll get it," Fred decided, winking at Harry as he and George left the room toward his bedroom.
"Speaking of Amisty, where is she?" Mr. Weasley asked good-naturedly, gazing around for her.
She had two decisions. Sneak around toward the doorway and pretend she had just walked in, or rip of the Cloak and scare the Muggles out of their minds.
She chose the latter, of course.
"Hi, Mr. Weasley! How's your summer been?" She asked brightly, straightening up and folding up Harry's Cloak before handing it to him.
He looked awfully amused.
She couldn't help but grin at the loud shriek of shock and terror from behind her.
Serves them right.