Chapter 16

The Harry Potters and the Ron Weasleys shared a berth on the Hogwarts Express with Ginny proud of her Prefect badge she had acquired. That and being Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was a rare ‘double.’

After everyone was on board and the train started on its way, parchment documents appeared in every berth.

Ginny picked it up, and read it to the group, “At the discretion of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, first, second, and third year students may be allowed to learn some remedial spells. More about this will be discussed after the sorting later today!”

“Oh dear,” Hermione said. “How do you feel about that, Harry?”

The look on his face told it all.

“How am I supposed to turn down someone who really wants to learn?” he was very quick to come back with.

There was a knock on their door, and after Ron said to come in, Gabrielle burst through talking as fast can be, “Harry, may I please be included in your remedial DADA classes?”

“He is Professor Potter now,” Ginny said in his defense.

“Professor Potter, may I please be included in your remedial DADA classes, please?” she asked again with her eyes glistening.

Looking back at her, Harry said, “I will have to develop an entrance wand test before I allow anyone third year and younger to belong. Have patience Miss Delacour, please?”

She said a final “Thank you,” before leaving the room.

Fortunately, only three more students knocked and came in, including Wally Wood (11), Oliver’s younger brother, Rupert Vane (12), Romilda’s brother, and Jeffrey Spinnet (13), Alicia’s youngest brother.

Ginny mentioned to them that all three houses Quidditch try-outs were on Friday, September 4 and Saturday, if needed.

The ubiquitous cart of goodies came by and the same smiling, dimpled woman from when they were all first years, slid back their door and said, “Anything off the cart, dears?”

Harry stood up and said, “My treat, everyone,” and got some Bettie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands! He handed out first to his wife and Hermione and followed up to his best friend Ronald!

There was some trading going back and forth between couples along with many kisses.

“You do know that we should not be kissing in front of students once we arrive?” Hermione announced.

“Kissing is one of the reasons we got married, isn’t it?” Ron remarked.

“I never asked Minerva about that?” Harry said.

“There will be enough snogging going on, whether or not we are doing it ourselves,” Ginny said, giving her husband a kiss.

“Wait until you get your list of classes, Ginerva,” Harry said to her with a silly smile on his face.

****

Harry and Hermione got their teachers robes on in preparation for leaving the train. Ginny proudly put her robe on moving her Prefect badge to it. Ron proudly had a brand-new robe of his own. George gave him the money from the profits that the Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes had been generating.

They were all very anxious to see how much had been fixed since the events of May Second, only 130 days earlier.

****

The week after Harry’s birthday, the four of them flew to the burgh of Dufftown, in the ancient parish of Mortlach. In the early 19^th century, Janes Duff, 4^th Earl of Fife, established Dufftown as housing for soldiers returning home from the Napoleonic War.

Nowadays it is a community of 1,600 people, with notable buildings including Balvenie Castle that had been built from the ruins of Auchindoun Castle.

They found some homes that had been declared unsafe, but with a few dozen spells from them, internally it was all they needed to live in. When all finished Ron declared it the Burrow II.

It was only 50 kilometers from the gates of Hogwarts, which was an easy apparition trip for any of them.

Despite having a place off campus, Headmistress Minerva McGonagall prepared an office with a double bed for each of the married couples. They had yet to see them.