Author's note~

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, and believe me it was not easy to put a pause to Holly's adventures, but I was going through a major depression when I started writing and being wrapped up in a fantasy world wasn't helping my mental health. I am doing really well now, and things have stabilized a lot. But that's enough from me, I know you're all excited to get back to the story.

With the ride back to Hogwarts being its usual overly long trip, it didn't take long for our group conversation to die off, especially after Susan decided to rest her head in my lap and take a nap. And it didn't help that Hermione's head was resting on my shoulder. Being more or pinned where I was, it wasn't long before I ended up taking a nap as well.

"Miss potter." The drone of Professor Snape's voice cut through the air of idle chatter in the common room.

"Yes, Professor?" I responded.

"Professor Dumbledore has requested your presence."

"Now? It's almost curfew."

"Then I suggest you make haste so that you are not caught violating school rules."

"Draco, can you give this to Pansy for me?" I asked, closing my book and handing it to him.

"Sure. Have fun." He replied, to which I rolled my eyes.

I arrived at the griffin gargoyle with Professor Snape, who muttered the words "Treacle tart." The stone griffin started to rotate and ascend, revealing a stone staircase. "There will be no dawdling on your way back to the dorms, Miss Potter."

Snape turned and walked away before I could respond, leaving me alone to walk up the stairs. I had a feeling of apprehension as I ascended the dimly lit stairwell. I've talked to the headmaster before, and he seemed nice enough, and I haven't done anything to get myself into trouble over since… my April Fool's prank. And so it was that I exited the stairwell wearing a grin.

"It looks like you are happy to be back."

My grin turned to a smile. "I was just thinking about the last time I was here."

Dumbledore nodded, as though he was expecting a different answer. "Ah, yes. It was quite the prank. Possibly the best prank I've seen in my tenure here as a professor and headmaster. The only problem is that you'll be expected to outdo yourself six more times and I'm not sure if the school will be left standing in the end." Dumbledore gave a slight smile and a wink as he gestured to the chair in front of his desk.

"Wait, you want me to play pranks? I thought I was about to be expelled." I asked while I sat down.

Dumbledore chuckled. "My dear girl, expelling you would have been a gross injustice. While we do have to maintain order at times, Hogwarts is a place where young wizards and witches are rewarded for coming up with unique solutions to new problems. Even Professor McGonagall has come to admire your work."

"So do I still have detention?" I asked.

"You broke several school rules, and that cannot be overlooked. Now, to change the subject, how was your time away from Hogwarts?"

His gaze was intense but deeply caring at the same time. For some reason my first thought was hearing the news that I wouldn't have a place to live come the end of term. "Umm, it was good. I got to go shopping a few times."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, I can still remember the novelty of Diagon Alley when I was around your age. But the reason that I've called you here is that I've heard the news of Mrs. Abbott's job with Gringotts and I would like to inform you that I have arranged for a place for you to stay."

"Oh, well thank you Professor, but…" My response was interrupted.

"It took some convincing, but Arthur and Molly Weasley have agreed to take you in for the summer. Their daughter, Ginny, will be attending Hogwarts next year and they are excited for her to know another person here other than her brothers."

"Thank you for going through the trouble of arranging this, but…"

"Oh, it was no trouble, really. It may be a little crowded over at the Burrow, but no more crowded than the dorms here at Hogwarts, I'm sure."

"Umm, Professor?"

"Yes, my dear."

"May I say something?"

"Of course!"

"While I appreciate you arranging things, I've already accepted an offer to stay with the Malfoys."

Dumbledore's smile faded. "The Malfoys? I thought you would want to spend the summer amongst friends. I thought you spend a significant amount of time with Fred and George."

"Yeah, they're friends, but so is Draco. And they've already decorated a room for me." There was a sudden sense of panic that crept to my forthought, like I was in a verbal battle of wits, and I only just now discovered I was loosing.

“Mrs. Weasley will be very disappointed, I'm sure. Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I am certain that their invitation will be open anytime you need it."

I gave a weak smile. "Thank you Professor. Will there be anything else, it's already been a long day and there are only a few minutes before curfew."

"Well, we certainly don't want you getting into trouble on my account, and I'm sure you have better things to do than entertain the old headmaster."

I stood up, not sure how to respond. The whole conversation left me feeling uncomfortable, but before I made it to the door I remembered the one thing that I did want to discuss. Turning around I asked, "Professor? There is one thing I wanted to ask."

He looked up from the parchment he was writing on. "Yes, my dear?"

"Umm. I was hoping I could get the key to the Potter family vault at Gringotts. I'm hoping to find something belonging to my parents. Help me know more about them and where I came from."

"Your key? Ahh, yes." Dumbledore muttered under his breath, "Now where, oh where has that little key gone? Where, oh where can it be? With his ears cut short, and his tail cut long."

After a few minutes of searching, which the entire time I felt like I needed to throw up, his search stopped. "It looks as though I have left it in my vault at Gringotts. I'll make sure to retrieve it for you before your summer break begins."

"Thank you Professor." I made as polite yet hasty exit as I could, back towards the dorms.

A glass orb smashed against the wall, sending dust and shards of glass flying through the room. Fawkes let out a shrill squelch. Dumbledore sat at his desk, his head held up by his hands. "How can everything be falling apart like this? How can that… girl… be unraveling my plans with such success?"

Fawkes flew over to land on his master's shoulder. "Caw!"

"You're right, Fawkes. It looks like she might need a more direct push into the direction she needs to go."

"Why are we doing this, again?" Susan asked in a half whisper.

"In Greek mythology, Orpheus put Cerberus to sleep by playing his lyre, and was then able to sneak past and get into the underworld. We went over this on the train." Hermione explained, once again.

"But this is a flute."

"We are just going to see if this works. I've never seen a lyre before, and there's no point in trying to find one if this does the job." Hermione said. "Now where the bloody hell is Holly. She should have been here half an hour ago."

I was at the last set of stairs in the grand staircase when all of a sudden everything started spinning. I threw up and my vision went fuzzy and I felt light as air before everything went black.