Homecoming Part Two

King's Cross, London, June 20 th

"Why does Hogwarts make its students stay at the school for an entire week after the exams are over?" Harry asked.

"It's a time to decompress and say goodbye to your friends," James explained.

"But they lose a week of summer vacation," Harry pointed out.

"Well they also don't release the students until they have the exam results for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th years finished," Lily added.

Harry looked at his mother in disbelief. "So they force the students to stay an extra week just because they want to tell them how they did before summer vacation?"

"Well, I, for one, like it," Mr. Granger said. "I know Hermione would have been pacing the floor waiting for her exam results. This way she can actually relax a little."

"I suppose the waiting is a bit nerve racking," Harry admitted.

"You still don't have your scores? Haven't you been finished for almost a month now, Harry?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Yes, but Durmstrang has more students than Hogwarts, and often the professors have a difficult time deciding who should be considered the top in each class." Harry explained.

"Your mother told us how your school's scoring system differed from Hogwarts. Which do you prefer?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Durmstrang, definitely," Harry said certainly. "The professors don't worry about keeping a struggling student afloat. If they can't keep up, they don't advance and slow the rest of the class down."

"That's rather cruel to the students who aren't as gifted," Mrs. Granger said disapprovingly.

"Then they shouldn't go to Durmstrang," Harry said, sounding unconcerned. "Odds are they know what the system is like, and their parents chose to enroll them there. They could have easily sent their kids to Hogwarts, Beauxbatons or one of the lesser known magical academies."

"I suppose when the students and parents know what they are getting into from the start, it is sort of hard to argue," Mr. Granger said as the Hogwarts express pulled up.

"Oh heavens, we aren't late, are we?" Mrs. Weasley asked bustling over with Mr. Weasley and Ginny.

"No, Molly, the train arrived just a moment ago," Lily said.

"Oh, thank Merlin. Arthur was tinkering in his tool shed again, and I didn't notice the time," Molly said, shaking her head in exasperation.

Mr. Weasley immediately walked over to Dan Granger. "Dan, it's good to see you again! Tell me, what is the purpose of a rubber duck?"

As Mr. Weasley began asking the Grangers various questions about his latest Muggle obsession, Harry saw the express doors open and several students started to exit. Turning to his father, Harry asked, "See him yet?"

"No, but that's not a surprise." James chuckled. "Knowing your brother, he's probably going to be the last one off the train."

The first of the Weasleys to arrive was Percy. The perfect looked disdainfully at Harry when he saw him, and Harry rolled his eyes at the over serious boy. The twins, Fred and George, arrived next. They both subtly attempted to jinx Harry's shoelaces to tie themselves together, but Harry caught on and easily reversed it. He made a note to curse the twins at some point in the future for trying to humiliate him in public.

Finally, Nathan, Hermione, and Ron got off the express along with Neville Longbottom, who looked like he was having a difficult time controlling his toad. Harry saw Neville splinter off and go towards an imposing woman wearing a large vulture hat while Ron, Hermione, and Nathan made their way over.

Harry was amused to see Ron glare at him when the boy saw him. Harry wanted nothing more than to mock the redhead, but his parents had strictly forbidden him from arguing with Ron if he wanted to greet his brother on the platform. Not that Harry would pick a fight surrounded by all of Ron's brothers, he might be at Durmstrang now, but he was still a Ravenclaw, and he certainly had better sense than to do something that stupid.

"Potter," Ron said icily.

Harry simply ignored the cold greeting. Ron Weasley was hardly worth responding to anyway. Instead he greeted his brother with a smile and said, "Well you're looking better than the last time I saw you."

Nathan looked uneasily between Ron and his brother for a moment. "Well, yeah, you know, Hospital Wing and all."

Harry could see how tense his brother was. Clearly, Ron had gotten to Nathan and told him all sorts of exaggerated stories about how Harry had threatened to kill him with Dark Magic or some such rubbish. He'd have to set the record straight with his brother when they got home. He wouldn't have Ron Weasley causing a rift between him and his brother.

"So, how was Siberia?" Nathan asked, letting a smile across his face for the first time.

Harry smirked. "Cold, dreadfully cold."

"Oh, there is no way that you go to school in Siberia," Hermione said exasperatedly.

"How do you know?" Harry challenged.

"Because it's not possible," she argued right back.

"Would you have said magic was possible two years ago?" Harry asked curiously.

Hermione looked ready to explode with facts proving her point when her father patted her on the shoulder and said, "He's teasing you, dear. Trust me, let it go. Now say goodbye to your friends, we really have to be off."

Harry watched impassively as Hermione hugged both Ron and Nathan before emphatically making them promise to write to her. Eventually, Mrs. Granger managed to pull the girl away after telling her that she and Lily had already spoken about getting together over the summer.

With the Grangers gone, Harry immediately asked, "Are we ready to go?"

"I think so," Lily said. "Nathan, say goodbye to Ron. We have to be off."

Soon enough, Harry saw his brother step away from Ron and make his way over towards the rest of his family. When he arrived, James offered them all the Portkey. Together, the Potters all grabbed a piece of the small bit of spare parchment. A moment later they were gone.