'Shame,' said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. 'He was starting to grow on me.'

*
The rest of the summer term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal, with only a few, small differences: Defence Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled ('but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway,' Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor. Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts

Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Amelia, Fred, George and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster Fireworks, and practised disarming each other by magic. Harry was getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

'Ginny – what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?'

'Oh, that,' said Ginny, giggling. 'Well – Percy's got a girlfriend.' Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

'What?'

'It's that Ravenclaw Prefect, Penelope Clearwater,' said Ginny.

Amelia hushed everyone.

'Do you guys hear a phone ringing?'

Everyone shook their heads no.

'That's becouse I fucking called it! You guys owe me a chocolate frog! You may continue now, Ginny.'

'That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was – you know – attacked. You won't tease him, will you?' she added anxiously.

'Wouldn't dream of it,' said Fred, who was looking as if his birthday had come early.

'Definitely not,' said George, sniggering as he handed Amelia a chocolate frog.

The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.

Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione.

'This is called a telephone number,' he told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two and handing it to them. 'I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer, he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys, OK? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to ...'

'I'll make sure to right, scene calling would be too much money,' said Amelia.

'Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?' said Hermione, as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging towards the enchanted barrier. 'When they hear what you did this year?'

'Proud?' said Harry. 'Are you mad? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious ...'

And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.