A quiet sigh was heard from the savior of the wizarding world as he looked out his window. The whole neighborhood was asleep except him. Something kept him up and he couldn't go to his bed until he knew.

After yesterday's fiasco, Harry wished time would fly sooner. Even with the help of the potions and Recovery Girl, it could not maintain the new injuries. Luckily, his uncle was too tired in the morning to give him a "proper lesson", and he forgot all about the incident by breakfast. Besides, he couldn't injure the boy too much. There were weird people sneaking outside his house, and if they were to find out...

Harry looked out one more time at the starry night. The full moon had just passed, and he knew one of his friends (read: father figure) would be resting for the next few days. He closed his eyes and let the peaceful night work on his nerves.

Suddenly, he felt as though somebody was staring at him. He opened his eyes to find snowy white feathers and amber eyes staring at him.

"Hedwig!" he whispered in relief. He lightly took her in his arms, ignoring the pain his back felt. The owl hooted, nuzzling him affectionately. The raven gently rid her of her burden, and started rubbing her white coat.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried when Dumbles asked for you."

The owl looked at him with an intense look in her eyes, as if saying he was a lunatic for thinking she didn't know better. Harry laughed softly, subsiding her glares a bit. Giving her a treat and setting up her water bowl, he glanced at the stack of letters she had picked up. Looking through them, he saw it was more than one person who wrote to him.

"...Hedwig, What did we say about attacking other owls and stealing their letters for me?"

Said bird turned the other way and continued eating as if she didn't hear him.

Harry just shook his head fondly and turned back to the letters. Some of them were from Ron, the twins and Ginny, one from Hermione, two from Neville (they had become better friends after last year), an anonymous letter with his name in fine script ('Prat,' Harry thought fondly), and a letter and a copy of the Quibbler from Luna. There was also a letter from Dumbledore (he set that aside for last), a small package that he instantly recognized who it was from, and one with the Hogwarts stamp on it. The last one intrigued him the most. He knew for a fact it wasn't time to give out the official letters for coming back to school yet, and he hadn't used his wand at all. Slowly, he opened it and read.

To Mr. Harry Potter,

Due to the recent circumstances, the school has decided to invite another prestigious academy to spend some time learning in our environment. You and 3 others have been chosen to accompany them. You will be their chaperones and help them with whatever they need. This letter will be activated as a portkey on August 1st at midnight. The students will be coming from Japan. Make sure to rest the day before. More details will be given later on.

Sincerely,

Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall

Harry read the letter again. And again. Finally he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. People were coming over to visit Hogwarts? From Japan?! At this time? What on bloody earth was Dumbledore thinking? They couldn't come at a time like this, especially with him around them. Looking for more answers, he picked up the not-really-anonymous package. Out fell a letter and a pouch.

Harry,

Allow me to explain what the Hogwarts letter means.

Class 2-A from U.A. Academy, located in Japan, is coming to our school for a few months, much like the Triwizard tournament. However, they will not be staying all year round. To make sure they understand the magic world, 1 person from each house has been chosen to escort them. Most of us believe you are the only mature enough Gryffindor for this. Miss Granger will make an exceptional choice, however she is not the most social person. Professor Dumbledore declined, for some reason, as did Professor Snape but they were out-voted. This whole plan, however, is the headmaster's idea. I do not think it is wise at all with all the chaos going around, but he overpowers me.

The rather peculiar time is because of the different time zones between the two countries. Make sure to rest for this journey the day before. If you cannot, look in the extra package. It contains everything you need for the next few days and more. (R.L. sends his regards. He would also like to know why you aren't answering any of his letters.) There is something else as well. I found this...lying around...and believe it may be useful to you. Do not worry about your relatives.

Make sure to take care of yourself and keep up with the timely-schedule.

See you on August 1st,

Minerva

Ahh...That made much more sense. Not that Harry still wasn't scratching his head, but it wasn't as much as before. Today was July 20. He had time to prepare for this trip. (He ignored the feeling of guilt that ran through him when reading what was in the parenthesis. Soon, he promised himself. Soon he will reply. Just... not now. Not when he is the reason, no matter what anyone else says.)

Minerva McGonagall was one of the adults Harry actually trusted, given his trust in adults was very low. He was in 3rd year when Minerva discovered what he had been dealing with. Harry got to see one of the rare moments his professor broke down. She apologized multiple times for not opposing harder into putting him with his relatives, and not noticing sooner what he went through. She immediately took action to get him removed from the household, but no matter how hard she tried, Dumbledore always found a way to stop it. She was appalled by her old friend and broke out of his manipulative webs. Without him controlling her, Minerva fought so cunningly it would put the whole house of Slytherin to shame. She was able to emancipate him without anyone but Amelia Bones, his godfathers, and the goblins knowing so he had some freedom. She was there for him when no one was, and she became somewhat like a grandmother to him. Minerva would do anything for the cub of her cubs.

Harry checked over Professor McGonagall's letter once more. The pouch must have something important in it. He chuckled at the very Slytherin-like phrases and opened the piece of cloth. Inside was a key, a wooden box the size of a matchbox, and another letter. As soon as Harry took out the box, it enlarged and became the size of a small trunk. The inside was filled with potions, packaged food with preservation charms, and misty orbs. She sends it every few weeks so that Harry could live a bit more peacefully, even with everything life throws at him.

'You didn't have to do this Professor McGonagall,' Harry thought, but knew it would be futile. The first few times he tried rejecting the box, Minerva fixed him with a glare so sharp he knew better than to think it was out of pity. No wonder her animagus was a cat.

According to the letter, the orbs turned out to have a notice-me-not charms on them, along with activating wards that would make sure no harm came to him. He could carry some with him and he could get around unnoticed. There was a way he could key in specific people, but other than that, he was wholly protected from anyone with bad intentions. (Minerva was secretly filling out a report against the Dursleys. She'd be damned if he got away from the most recent developments. Harry had to restrict her from murdering the Nasty Muggle™ herself. No she didn't care she went to Azkaban. But then the Gryffindor-who-should-have-been-a-Slytherin brought up the point she wouldn't get to see him from Azkaban. That made her deflate.)

The flasks were filled with nutrient potions, healing potions, and calming draughts. There was also salve for bruises and scars. Harry knew better than to ignore the potions. Somehow Minerva always found out.

Harry then turned his attention to the key. As soon as he picked it up, he instantly knew what it was. It was the key to a special vault, which Harry could never get his hands on with it being under Dumble's control. This key was the key to all the heirlooms missing from any of his vaults or any other family.

The coot was smart enough (or not smart enough, depending on the way you look at it) to not take out any of the heirlooms from the bank. It would cause problems that are most likely wished to be avoided (But that caused other problems he didn't think of). When he gave the Invisibility Cloak to Harry, he made it so that the material was being transferred to its rightful owner, thus not raising the alarm bells. He kept all the heirlooms in a protected vault in which only he had the key.

What is going on in the old coot's brain?

Of course Harry talked to the goblins about this. He didn't spend all of the freedom he got before 3rd year started eating ice cream. He had been planning to get the heirlooms that belonged to him back, but unfortunately, he had to wait until he was sixteen to activate the enchantment. And he could only get his, not anyone else's.

However, with Minerva giving him the key, things were now much easier. Thank Merlin for this queen.

Harry glanced at the clock. It was now 2 o'clock. Sleep was futile anyway, so he stayed up till morning reading through the rest of the letters, different expressions filtering his face. He chuckled and laughed at the Weasley's antics, smiled fondly at Hermione's rambling, rolled his eyes and smirked at the anonymous letter, but became serious as it continued. The reply was instant for this one. Moving one, he paid interest to both letters of Neville's. One was about the usual, and the other was more...personal. After discovering they were god-brothers, they talked greatly and discovered many secrets. Now they had a personal project going on. Upon coming to Luna's, he lifted the corners of his lips at the unique way of speaking (or writing in this case) and saved the article for a later time.

(Take note that when it was time to read Dumbledore's letter, because he did not like to be ignored, Harry cast some detection charms wandlessly. As expected, it was dozed in compulsion and loyalty charms. After removing the charms, the letter was read and burned right away. Harry leaned beck for a few minutes and nursed his raging headache and temper before he took out some parchment. His reply was filled with No sir's, That's alright sir's, I don't mind, Hermione is my friend she won't mind either, I apologize but I can't go on this top-secret mission with you, I need time to prepare for the tour, nothing has been happening around here why?, Of course it's not too much responsibility, and Have a good day. After fighting an internal and external battle over whether or not to just chuck it out the window; one of the "guards" will probably deliver it anyway; it was wrapped up and dropped onto the desk. Then Fawkes was called upon, who grabbed the letter, burning the edges, gave Harry a fond thrill, rubbed his head against his hand, and vanished. Only then did the headache calm down. )

All in all, it was a pretty good way to start the day. Now if only he could talk to his cousin. No doubt the greenette and his blond boyfriend will have some words.

Speaking of blondes...