Kreacher, it transpired, had been lurking in the attic. Sirius said he had found him up there, covered in dust, no doubt looking for more relics of the Black family to hide in his cupboard. Though Sirius seemed satisfied with this story, it made Tori uneasy. Kreacher seemed to be in a better mood on his reappearance, his bitter muttering had subsided somewhat and he submitted to orders more docilely than usual.

Tori did not mention her vague suspicions to anyone, the cheerfulness was evaporating fast now that Christmas was over. As the date of their departure back to Hogwarts drew nearer, Tori began to feel more anxious about going back to Hogwarts. Knowing that all that lied there for her was Umbridge was very unsettling.

Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something good began.

Tori was seated upstairs with the twins, who were putting their final touches on their newest invention. Tori was skimming through the pages of her book Lupin had gotten her, mumbling about spells to herself when Bill appeared at the doorway. He looked quite happy and beckoned for her to follow him.

Confused, Tori did. He led her down the hallway away from the twin's room. "Good news. Fleur has gotten you a new vault."

"Really?" Tori gasped. Bill nodded eagerly. "It took a long time trying to push it upwards to the Goblins but we did it. It's your vault and it's under your name. No one has access to it but you. I can't give you keys yet because the Goblins are starting to move your money tonight."

"Thank you!" Tori grinned, giving Bill a big hug. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest with that news. Fortunately, that wasn't the only good news. About thirty minutes later Molly called everyone down.

She stood by the door with  Mr. Weasley walking proudly in their midst dressed in a pair of striped pajamas covered by a mackintosh. The Weasley children rushed down the stairs to hug their father. Tori and Hermione chuckled at each other.

"Come on, into the kitchen." Molly ushered them all in quickly. "Cured!" Arthur announced brightly to the kitchen at large. "Completely cured!"

Everyone froze, gazing at the scene in front of them, which was also suspended in mid-action, both Sirius and Snape looking towards the door with their wands pointing into each other's faces and Harry immobile between them, a hand stretched out to each, trying to force them apart.

"Merlin's beard," said Arthur, the smile sliding off his face, "What's going on here?"

Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands. Harry looked from one to the other. Each wore an expression of utmost contempt, yet the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses seemed to have brought them to their senses. Snape pocketed his wand, turned on his heel, and swept-back across the kitchen, passing the Weasleys without comment. At the door, he looked back.

"Six o'clock, Monday evening, Potter."

And he was gone. Sirius glared after him, his wand at his side. "What's been going on?" asked Arthur again.

"Nothing, Arthur," Sirius assured, who was breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance. "Just a friendly little chat between two old school friends." With what looked like an enormous effort, he smiled. "So... you're cured? That's great news, really great."

"Yes, isn't it?" Molly nodded, leading her husband forward to a chair. "Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end, found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs, and Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you, dear?" She added, rather menacingly.

"Yes, Molly dear," Arthur replied meekly.

That night's meal was a cheerful one, with Mr. Weasley back amongst them. Sirius was trying to make it so, he and Tori laugh loudly at Fred and George's jokes throughout the meal.

They were to return to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus the following day, escorted once again by Tonks and Lupin, both of whom were eating breakfast in the kitchen when Tori and Ginny came down the next morning.

After a hurried breakfast, they all pulled on jackets and scarves against the chilly grey January morning. Tori glanced around her room making a mental checklist of what needed to be brought back, especially if Umbridge was checking their mail. Tori remembered that Sirius's Christmas gift was in the wardrobe.

"Accio!"

Tori grabbed the pocket watch quickly, turning it over to look at the engraving of trees. She heard a knock at the door and turned to see it was Sirius.

"I see you've kept my gift." He noted. Tori nodded as if he was mental. "Of course I kept it. Why wouldn't I?"

"It's old, yet I always felt it important."

"How come?"

"It was my brother's. I dunno what he used it for, he was always early to things." Sirius chuckled for a moment. "Or maybe I was always late."

Tori laughed, pocketing the watch. "Thank you, by the way, I don't think I said that on Christmas."

Sirius patted her on the shoulder before heading out of the room. Tori rushed down the stairs, seeing she was the last one down. She hugged both Molly and Arthur before rushing down the porch. The door of number twelve slammed shut behind her. She caught up with the rest and they followed Lupin down the front steps.

As she reached the pavement, Tori looked round. Number twelve was shrinking rapidly as those on either side of it stretched sideways, squeezing it out of sight. One blink later, it had gone.

"Come on, the quicker we get on the bus the better," said Tonks, and Tori thought there was nervousness in the glance she threw around the square. Lupin flung out his right arm.

BANG.

A violently purple, triple-decker bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them, narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost, which jumped backward out of its way.

A thin, pimply, jug-eared youth in a purple uniform leapt down on to the pavement and said, "Welcome to the   —   "

"Yes, yes, we know, thank you," said Tonks swiftly. "On, on, get on   —  "

And she shoved them all on and didn't hesitate to threaten the conductor when he almost gave Harry away.

"I've always wanted to go on this thing," said George happily, joining Tori on board and looking around.

It had been evening the last time Tori had traveled by Knight Bus and its three decks had been full of brass bedsteads. Now, in the early morning, it was crammed with an assortment of mismatched chairs grouped haphazardly around windows. Some of these appeared to have fallen over when the bus stopped abruptly in Grimmauld Place; a few witches and wizards were still getting to their feet, grumbling, and somebody's shopping bag had slid the length of the bus: an unpleasant mixture of frogspawn, cockroaches and custard creams was scattered all over the floor.

"Looks like we'll have to split up," said Tonks briskly, looking around for empty chairs. "Fred, George, Tori, and Ginny, if you just take those seats at the back... Remus can stay with you."

The four of them nodded, following her instructions. "Ay! Silvers right?" The conductor looked at her with his beady eyes. "One night and off to Leaky Cauldron! Paid full price and even let us keep the change! Thanks for that! I got me a new pair of boots!"

Tori grinned, taking a seat. "You been on here before?" Ginny leaned over to ask her. Tori nodded. "Once. Two years ago when I needed a place to stay. You all were still in Egypt."

Remus handed Stan eleven Sickles and the bus set off again, swaying ominously. It rumbled around Grimmauld Place, weaving on and off the pavement, then, with another tremendous BANG, they were all flung backward; George's chair toppled right over and he nearly dropped his box of treats. Tori, who had narrowly avoided falling by seizing a candle bracket, looked out of the window: they were now speeding down what appeared to be a motorway.

"Just outside Birmingham," Stan shouted happily, as George struggled up from the floor. Fred grabbed Ginny fast enough to stop her from toppling into an elderly lady.

BANG.

Chairs slid backward again as the Knight Bus jumped from the Birmingham motorway to a quiet country lane full of hairpin bends. Hedgerows on either side of the road were leaping out of their way as they mounted the verges. From here they moved to a main street in the middle of a busy town, then to a viaduct surrounded by tall hills, then to a windswept road between high-rise flats, each time with a loud BANG.

"I've changed my mind," muttered George, picking himself up from the floor for the sixth time, "I never want to ride on this thing again."

Tori laughed yet was nearly thrown from her seat.

A few minutes later, the Knight Bus screeched to a halt outside a small pub, which squeezed itself out of the way to avoid a collision. They could hear Stan ushering the unfortunate elderly lady out of the bus and the relieved murmurings of her fellow passengers on the second deck. The bus moved on again, gathering speed, until   —

BANG.

They were rolling through a snowy Hogsmeade. Tori caught a glimpse of the Hog's Head down its side street, the severed boar's head sign creaking in the wintry wind. Flecks of snow hit the large window at the front of the bus. At last, they rolled to a halt outside the gates to Hogwarts.

Lupin and Tonks helped them off the bus with their luggage, then got off to say goodbye. Tori glanced up at the three decks of the Knight Bus and saw all the passengers staring down at them, noses flat against the windows.

"You'll be safe once you're in the grounds," said Tonks, casting a careful eye around at the deserted road. "Have a good term, OK?"

"Look after yourselves," said Lupin, shaking hands all round and reaching Harry last. Tori gave Tonks a hug and promised to see her soon.

The seven of them struggled up the slippery drive towards the castle, dragging their trunks. Hermione was already talking about knitting a few elf hats before bedtime. Tori glanced back when they reached the oaken front doors; the Knight Bus had already gone.

The following night the common room was packed and full of shrieks of laughter and excitement; Fred and George were demonstrating their latest bit of joke shop merchandise.

''Headless Hats!" shouted George, as Fred waved a pointed hat decorated with a fluffy pink feather at the watching students. "Two Galleons each, watch Fred, now!"

Fred swept the hat onto his head, beaming. For a second he merely looked rather stupid; then both hat and head vanished.

Several girls screamed, but everyone else was roaring with laughter.

''And off again!" shouted George and Fred's hand groped for a moment in what seemed to be thin air over his shoulder; then his head reappeared as he swept the pink-feathered hat from it.

Tori laughed, glancing up from her spot at the table where she was going over Flitwick's homework. "How are they doing that?" Angelina asked out loud, staring at the hats.

"I dunno, probably using an invisibility charm," Tori said, glancing back down at her scroll. "But those aren't very long-lasting, are they?"

"Don't look at me." Alicia sighed. "I'm barely passing charms as it is."

"Ladies." George greeted, taking a seat as Fred counted the money. "How much did you sell already?" Tori asked them.

"About four," Fred replied, taking a seat next to her. "Did you hear about the next Hogsmeade trip? It's on Valentine's Day."

"Is it?" Tori asked, pretending she had not known this before. Fred grinned, "So I assumed, unless you've gotten other plans." He raised an eyebrow. "That we'd go together."

Tori chuckled to herself. "I'd have to check with my other plans. But I'm sure I could squeeze you in."

"Oh, could you?" Fred asked mockingly.

"Six years of this. Six. That's like... a hundred and seventeen chapters of a book. This is painful." George sighed. He tipped his chair all the way back and ended up falling over, causing Angelina to burst out laughing.

wow georgie you really love breaking the fourth wall huh

me realizing that this is part 150 and i only have 50 more parts to finish up the story:

so if it feels like it's going fast:
sorry. blame wattpad