THE MOST FAITHFUL

BACK TO HOGWARTS

Harry spent a restless night. His parents kept going in and out of his dreams without ever speaking; Mrs. Weasley sobbed over Kreacher's corpse, Byron yelled at Snape throwing crumpled newspapers at him, Hermione flew over Ron's broom, and once again Harry found himself walking down a corridor that ended in a locked door.

He woke up suddenly with his scar itching. Ron was already dressed and was talking to him. "... better move, mom is beside herself, she says we'll miss the train ..."

There was a great commotion in the house. From what she heard as she dressed quickly, she deduced that Fred and George had bewitched their trunks so that they would fly downstairs, to save themselves the trouble of carrying them, with the result that they had bumped into Ginny and sent her down two flights of stairs. stairs to the entrance; Byron had managed to stop her and Mrs Weasley even more angry had started yelling at him not to touch her daughter, Mrs Black's portrait had woken up and started insulting everyone present as usual, dominated only by Mrs Weasley's screams .

"... YOU COULD HURT HER, YOU IDIOTS ... AND YOU NEVER TRY TO GET CLOSE TO HER AGAIN!"

"Mom was just helping me ..."

"I AM NOT INTERESTED"

"... SOUTH HYBRIDS THAT MAKE THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS SMALL!!"

Harry was putting on his trainers when Hermione ran into the room, all flustered. Hedwig rocked on her shoulder, and she held crookshanks in her arms as she struggled. "Mom and Dad just sent Hedwig back." The owl flapped its wings softly and perched on top of its cage. "Are you ready?"

"Almost. Is Ginny okay?" Harry asked, putting on his glasses. "Mrs. Weasley rearranged it," said Hermione. "But now Mad-Eye grumbles that we can't get out unless Sturgis Podmore comes, or else there'll be a missing escort." "The escort?" Harry said. "Shall we go to King's Cross with the escort?"

"You must go to King's Cross with the escort," Hermione corrected him.

"Why?" Harry asked in annoyance. "Did I think Voldemort was hiding, or are you telling me he'll pop out from behind a garbage can to take me out?"

"I don't know, Mad Eye insists," Hermione replied absently, looking at her watch. "But if we don't get out quickly we'll miss the train for sure ..."

"DO YOU WANT TO GET ALL DOWN, PLEASE? NO, YOU STAY HERE!" cried Mrs. Weasley furiously. Hermione jumped as if she was burned and ran out of the room. Harry grabbed Hedwig, unceremoniously shoved her into the cage and climbed down behind Hermione, dragging the trunk. Mrs. Black's portrait howled with her anger, but no one bothered to close the curtains in her face, all the din in her hall would have awakened her anyway.

"Harry, you have to come with me and Tonks." Mrs. Weasley yelled over the repeated shrieks of "MUDBLOODS! DROPS! SUDICATE CREATURES!"

"Leave the trunk and the owl here, Alastor will take care of the baggage... oh, for God's sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!" A black bear-like dog had appeared at Harry's side, who was climbing over the various trunks crammed into the hall to reach Mrs. Weasley. "Oh, well..." she snapped, exasperated. "Well, the responsibility is yours alone!"

Snape crossed the hall like a black ghost without saying a word with Byron behind him.

"You do not come?" Harry asked

"Not with your escort, you attract enough attention already." he replied with a wink at the transformed Sirius and Evil Eye down the hall. "I will dematerialize with Severus near Hogsmeade, see you tonight for dinner." he explained.