Chapter 28: Goodbye

There was a mad scramble of activity as the boys in Gryffindor dormitory packed their bags for the holiday.

"Where is my scarf?"

"Hey guys, have anyone seen my…."

"Ron, you pig. That's my jacket."

"Sorry mate," a red faced Ron replied as he tossed the jacket he was holding back to Seamus.

It was the end of the school term end the boys had just returned from the school feast. They were stuffed and satisfied. Now was the last minute packing they had to complete before boarding the Hogwarts Express.

Harry was sitting on his bed brooding. He had the foresight to pack earlier and was spared the last minute scramble his friends were undergoing.

He felt weird. Ever since that night, Harry was feeling relax. It was hard to describe, the sense of loneliness did not feel so bad any more. He can feel it, like something was in his mind out there. He can never isolate it out the course of his feelings yet whatever is it, it just seem to be at the back of his mind, waiting, just waiting.

However, most of all was that he was not eager to return to the Dursley. Hogwarts have came to be his home. He was well fed, he had friends to hang out with and it did not hurt that people here love him instead of all the negative attention he gets from the Dursleys.

Madara was wandering the school grounds. He was determined to feed himself properly before going back to feeding on the "measly skinny mice" back at Privet Drive as the snake has taken to call his food ever since he discovered the plump game that Hogwarts have to offer.

Harry remembered his joy at finding his snake as soon as he got out of the hospital wing. To say the snake was annoyed was an understatement. After all, the snake was left alone in the forest unconscious for a day after their confrontation with Professor Quirrel. Madara suffered a number of bruises from the impact with the tree but nothing life major.

The snake had complained a lot, exaggerating on his injuries. Harry could not tell as the bruises did not show up on his toxic green scales. Even so, the young wizard had gladly pampered his pet snake, feeding him treats that he stole from meal times. It was nice to fall back to a little sense of normalcy after the attack.

Harry was also a little uncomfortable from the earlier feast. The disappearance of Professor Quirrel had of course been noticed and rumours were spreading. It was only tonight had Professor Dumbledore made a speech to talk about Voldemort's attack.

The news had sent out a ripple of shock which quickly turned into cheers when they were told that the Boy-Who-Lived had once again stopped You-Know-Who.

Thanks to the Golden Trio's courageous deed, each of the earned Gryffindor four hundred points in total. Thus, they helped in winning the House Cup much to the distaste of Professor Snape if his scowl was any indication.

Harry Potter sighed as he laid in his bed thinking. Beside him, his dorm mates were still a fluster of activity. He was half-heartedly listening to Dean and Seamus argue over something when a dip in his bed cause him to turn.

Ron was grinning at him and Harry tilted his head. "Mate, you will be coming over to stay for the summer holidays." The red head stated with finality.

"How am I going to get there?"

"Don't worry, I will find a way to get you over."

With that, both boys grinned at each other. Maybe summer would not be so bad this year, Harry thought inwardly.

The Hogwarts Express pulled up at platform 9¾. Parents were milling about and once can almost taste the sense of excitement in the air. Once the train pulled up into the station, children came spilling out as the air was split with squeals of excitement and people calling to each other in joy.

Harry, Ron and Hermione pulled their bags down and a sudden shout of "Ronald!" captured their attention.

The trio turned their heads to see Mrs Weasley, holding hands with a young girl with the Weasley trade mark red hair hurrying over, a big smile on her face. Ron immediately broke out in a smile and was promptly squash by his mother in a tight hug. Harry and Hermione stood by and watched in amusement as Mrs Weasley turned and smiled kindly at them.

"Harry dear, it is so great to see. Ronald told me so much about you." the mother said and she embraced him slightly. "And you must be Hermione." The lady said as she gave the bushy hair girl a gentle squeeze as well.

Both child nodded and said their greetings. Just then, they were interrupted in the form by the Weasley.

"Mum, you would not…"

"Believe this, our little Ronnie…"

"had been..."

"caught…."

"after school hours fighting You-Know-Who"

Both twins finish with a grand flourish before greeting their mother with a kiss each. Mrs Weasley frowned, "yes, I heard about that. Nasty business, thank goodness Dumbledore was there."

The twins seemed to mock pout when they realized their mother was not saying anything about ickle little Ronnie breaking school rules and open their mouths.

"Well, well, what do we have here. The entire Weasley family, a birght bunch you all are."

The interruption came in the form of a man with long haired blond, pale white skin as well as a black cane in his grasp. Beside him stood a petite, blond woman, a masked of indifference on her face with her hand placed gently none other than Darco Malfoy who was sneering at the happy reunion.

"Mr Malfoy, how nice to see you..."

Mr Malfoy coolly interrupted the flustered red haired woman, "I would say the same if not for the glare. I see Arthur is not here. Still caught up with work I presume. Jonkins have been quite harsh on his the last few days." The man says with a slight cold smile.

Meanwhile, the boys and Hermione was giving the blond family glares and the Weasley twins look about ready to prank the arrogant aristocrat in front of them.

"Mother"

The call signal the arrival of Percy Wealey brought everyone's attention to him, said boy calmly pushing his trolley of trunks towards them. Mr Malfoy smirked, "I bid you all a good day then children, Mrs Weasley."

With that, Darco left with his parents as smoothly as their arrival. Mrs Weasley shook herself and started hurrying them towards the wall while the twins muttered darkly along with Ron about the pompous arrogant Malfoy who thinks they are…

On the way out, Harry waved to Cedric Diggory who was with his parents as they went past the boundary between the Muggle world and the Magical one. Soon, he saw the Dursley's in their car, hooting loudly when they saw him. Vernon shouted loudly "Get your stuff in the car boy, we do not have all day."

"Are you going to be okay?" Hermione asked unsurely, glancing warily at the whale of a man after his outburst.

"Ya, I will be fine." Harry replied with a smile. "Besides, Dudly does not know I cannot do magic back home." With that, his smile became even wider.

"Don't worry mate, I will write to ya. Don't forget, you are staying over this summer.

Harry nodded his acceptance to Ron and jumped as Vernon hooted loudly one more time. "I got to go" the boy said as he did a last check, Madara around his bicep this time, Nighttalon will be flying home from Hogwarts, the owl hated cramped spaces in fact.

With one last glance and goodbyes, the Boy-Who Live scurried off towards the Dursleys for his summer holidays.

That's it for this story. :D