Harry Potter and the Book of Shadows

The Astronomy Tower

Ginny leaned on the rail fence around Free's paddock. Though he had investigated when she'd first arrived, when Free realized she had nothing to offer besides a friendly pat, he wandered away to graze. Ginny watched him in the rapidly dimming light, trying to sort out her thoughts. A flicker of movement caught her eye. Something was coming out of the Forbidden Forest. Ginny grabbed her wand and held it tightly by her side, backing up toward Hagrid's hut. She wasn't supposed to be out on the grounds alone after dark, and the sudden threat of an attack by a wild creature reminded her why.

As the figure drew closer, Ginny wondered why Free didn't seem agitated. She heard a voice and suddenly understood.

"...is going just as planned. There's no need to worry," Persephone said. When Free heard her he whickered, knowing it was close to feeding time. "Not yet, Free. Oh! Hello, Ginny."

Ginny started, realizing she was in plain view. "Hi, I was just, um, I needed to think and I..."

Persephone covered up her surprise quickly and smiled reassuringly. "I come out here to think, too. Just as long as you don't try anything with Free when I'm not here, I'm sure he's happy for the company. It's time for dinner, why don't we go back in?"

Ginny walked along with her back toward the castle. "Is that why you were out there? Who were you talking to?"

She cleared her throat. "Myself. I went for a walk. Sometimes it helps me organize my thoughts if I say them out loud." Ginny looked at her out of the corner of her eye, but there was nothing in her expression to indicate she was telling anything but the truth.

A frown creased Ginny's forehead. "You went for a walk in the Forbidden Forest? In the dark? Alone?"

"It wasn't dark when I left, and I hadn't planned on staying out so long. The forest is actually quite pretty and I got sidetracked when I found some horsetail fern growing by a stream. I can use it in my NEWT tutoring as a comparison with the dried fern I bought."

"You weren't worried about anything attacking you?" Ginny asked.

"I doubt there's anything in there I haven't already come across. What, you think I was about to be attacked by a werewolf?" Ginny thought she heard Persephone trip, but when she glanced up, she was walking normally, looking at her with a teasing smile. Before she could ask, Persephone continued. "What had you so worried you came all the way down here alone? Something you want to talk about?"

"Well...there's someone I'm worried about," Ginny began, not sure how to explain without giving too much away. She didn't think Harry would appreciate her pouring out her concerns about him to everyone.

"Any particular reason why?" Persephone prompted.

"Something happened, but he won't talk about it. I think he'd feel better if he did, but everyone else keeps bugging him about it and I don't want to make it any worse. I don't know what to do, I want to help but I don't know how," Ginny finished miserably. What she didn't add was the only reason Harry seemed to want to talk to her at all was she was the only one who didn't pester him about it. She felt selfish for not trying to help more by encouraging him to talk.

Persephone held the heavy wooden entry door open. "We all face our demons in different ways. Just being a friend is probably helping more than you know. I'm sure he'll talk when he's ready."

Ginny sighed, telling herself to be patient with Harry, fervently hoping it would all work itself out in time. "How are you feeling?" She changed the subject.

As she was about to answer, Persephone stopped suddenly. Ginny glanced in the same direction to see Snape headed down the dungeon stairs. He didn't seem to have noticed them. Ginny suddenly wondered if the reason Persephone had gone traipsing in the forest was in hopes of avoiding him. From where she stood, it looked like this was the first time she'd seen him since the night before. Persephone quickly turned toward the Great Hall.

"I'll meet you at the paddock after dinner?" Ginny asked as they entered.

Persephone agreed, though rather distractedly as Ginny went to sit with the trio, Persephone continuing to the Head Table.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry were already sitting when Ginny walked up. She sat and poured herself pumpkin juice.

"Where were you?" Ron asked as soon as she sat.

Ginny repressed the urge to snap at him. "I went for a walk."

"Alone?" Ron fixed her with a pointed look.

"Until I met up with Persephone." Ginny turned to Harry, intent on ignoring her bother. "How are you, Harry?"

"Um, fine." He didn't want Ron to bring up the incident in the library again and looked to Hermione for help.

"How do you like Professor Dunn, Ginny?" Hermione, observant as ever, deftly changed the subject while shooting Ron a warning look. The conversation turned to Dunn's Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, much to the relief of both Harry and Ginny.

"He's quite good," Ginny replied. "From what I've hear he's even giving the first years some challenging things. More than what we got, anyway."

"Maybe he's trying to make up for Umbridge last year," Ron suggested.

Ginny looked pensive. "Could be. I wonder where Dumbledore found him."

Laughing, Ron poured himself more pumpkin juice. "Yeah, people aren't exactly lining up for the job."

Harry looked up to see Snape stride in the room. "Well, some people are."

Hermione frowned. "I wonder if Dumbledore picked him at all. You remember what Umbridge said last year: If Dumbledore can't find anyone to fill a professor's position, the Ministry chooses."

"You really think Fudge would pick someone that good?" Ron asked incredulously.

Her expression serious, Hermione said, "Well he may be a good teacher but that doesn't mean he's not giving the Ministry information about goings-on inside the castle."

"What? You mean like Dumbledore trying to start up his own army again?" Ron asked. "Just because the Ministry's got their heads-" A sharp look from Hermione made Ron stop. "I mean, what would he be telling them, anyway?"

"I don't know," Hermione replied. "But that doesn't mean it's not happening."

Hermione was sidetracked by Harry's distracted gaze on the Head Table. Wondering what he was staring at, the others turned to see.

Unable to figure it out, Ron asked, "What're you so enthralled with?"

"Huh?" Harry shook himself. "Nothing. Just wondering why Snape was leaning on his hand like that."

Taking another look, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione saw Snape did seem to be leaning oddly as if trying to hide something, but what they couldn't tell. Ginny was the only one who watched long enough to see him cast a strange look down the table at Persephone.

Later, when Persephone stood, Ginny drank the rest of her pumpkin juice and got up as well. "I'll see you back in the common room."

"You be careful, Ginny," Ron cautioned.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Ginny assured Ron she would be. Bidding them goodbye, she joined Persephone and they left the Hall. They were halfway to the paddock when Harry came running after them.

"Ginny! Wait!" he called. Ginny turned in surprise.

"I'll meet you down there," Persephone said and continued on while Ginny waited for Harry to catch up.

Halting in front of her slightly out of breath, Harry held out a small book. "I forgot to give this to you at dinner."

Ginny smiled at first, but went white as a sheet when she saw what he was holding. Her heart dropped into her stomach, and she suddenly felt very sick. She took it from him with a shaky hand. Harry watched her reaction and felt guilty for reading the half-page, even though it hadn't been anything to be embarrassed about. Obviously, there was something in there that was.

"You left it on the chair in the Room of Requirement. I thought it might be notes or something," Harry lied, hoping he sounded convincing.

"You...didn't read it?" she asked, barely daring to hope.

Harry did his best to look shocked. "Of course not!" The relief on her face was enough to convince him lying was the right way to go.

"Thanks, Harry. I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost this...I mean...it has notes in it I need for class," she added quickly, her eyes shifting away from his.

Harry knew she was lying, not only because it was blatantly obvious by her hurried addition and the fact he had read part of the diary, but on some deeper level. It went away as soon as she broke eye contact. Legilimency was related to Occlumency, was learning one giving him some ability with the other?

"Well..." He didn't know what else to say and suddenly felt awkward, though he wasn't sure why.

"I should go help Persephone," Ginny said hastily. "Thank you again, Harry. I'll see you back in Gryffindor."

Harry watched as she hurried down to Free's paddock, then turned and headed back to the common room and the stack of homework waiting for him.

Persephone had already filled Free's tray with grain by the time Ginny arrived and he was happily munching away. She was carrying a sloshing water bucket as Ginny approached.

"Everything all right?" Persephone asked, ignoring the cold water that had just splashed down her front as she came to a stop at the water trough.

Ginny looked through the fence. "Yeah, he just wanted to return something I'd left somewhere."

"That was nice of him. Can you get two flakes of hay from that bale over there? Just toss them in anywhere." Persephone pointed to an open bale by Hagrid's back door.

Ginny did, then crossed the paddock to where Persephone was filling the water trough. "Where's Hagrid?"

Persephone looked to his dark hut and shrugged. "Not sure. He said something about feeding some thestrals and meeting someone at the Three Broomsticks, I didn't ask for details."

Ginny turned to watch Free. She noticed the welt she had seen the night before and two smaller ones by it. "What happened?" She pointed.

Persephone brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "I want to say it was a sting, a wasp maybe, but it was too cold. I don't know, it may have been some other insect, but it almost looks like..."

"Like what?" Ginny asked, quizzically.

Persephone's expression clouded. "It doesn't make sense, but it almost looks like a Stinging Hex mark. But there was no one around to do something like that. You didn't see anyone last night, did you?"

Ginny shook her head. "I didn't see anyone."

"Hmmm...well, he's fine so I suppose it doesn't really matter. I'm just about done here, ready to go back?" Persephone climbed over the fence.

Ginny followed suit. "Ready to go back and write my Charms essay? I'd rather stay out here."

Persephone frowned at the castle. "I would, too."

They split up in the entryway. Persephone walked slowly down the hall, debating whether to start setting up the tutoring classroom or take inventory of the ingredients she'd stored in her office, knowing she was just delaying the inevitable. Trying to convince herself she wasn't actively avoiding anything, she nearly walked straight into someone in the hallway.

Looking up, she stammered, "Oh! Um...sorry...I..." She cursed herself for acting like an easily flustered first year.

Snape's expression was unreadable. In the flickering torchlight, Persephone caught a glimpse of the left side of his face. Wincing, she looked away, unconsciously flexing her right hand. She missed Snape's raised eyebrow.

Without looking up, she asked, almost hopefully, "Did you deserve it?"

"Probably."

Looking up through her eyelashes, Persephone caught a hint of a smirk and smiled to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arriving back at the common room, Ginny saw all the tables were full and wondered if she should head back to the Room of Requirement or just put her essay off another day. Catching sight of her from a table by the fireplace, Ron waved her over.

"How was Free?" Hermione asked as Ginny sat opposite her and Ron. Harry glanced up briefly before turning back to his parchment.

Ginny's face fell slightly at Harry's absent greeting. "Great. He's really doing well. Persephone thinks he might be ready to be released soon."

Ron mumbled something about being glad when it happened, but Hermione shushed him. He looked up to protest and she gave him a meaningful look Ginny didn't understand. After a moment, however, Ron seemed to and he closed the book in front of him.

"So Hermione, you wanted to borrow that book?" he said a little too loudly.

"Sure, it sounded interesting," she replied, her delivery a bit stilted.

Ginny looked back and forth between them, what were they talking about? Harry kept on scribbling away at his essay, seemingly unaware.

Ron and Hermione stood up. "I have it up in my trunk, come on, I'll get it for you." Hermione nodded and they headed to the boy's dormitories. Ginny watched as they climbed the stairs out of sight.

"That was strange," she commented. Harry, still writing, didn't look up. Ginny sat there next to him for a few moments until she started to feel awkward. Why had Ron and Hermione invited her over if they were just going to leave and Harry was obviously busy?

When he paused in his writing she attempted conversation again. "How's your essay going?"

"Yeah," Harry answered vaguely, staring into space.

Ginny felt a blush rising, he obviously didn't want to talk to her. "Um, I guess I'll go work on my homework, then."

Harry turned toward her, but looked right past her and out the window. "Uh huh," he said absently.

Getting up quickly to hide her hurt expression, Ginny turned to leave. "And then I'm going to jump off the Astronomy Tower."

"Yeah, okay." Harry turned back to his essay and started writing again and didn't see Ginny hurry out the portrait hole.

"I don't think that went very well," Hermione said to Ron who was crouched next to her behind the balustrade, peering out through the gaps.

"I couldn't hear what they were saying," Ron whispered and sat back. "Too bad Fred and George didn't leave any of those extendable ears. I wonder where she rushed off to."

Hermione looked at the portrait hole. "Did she look upset to you?"

"Why would she be upset?" Ron asked, confused.

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. "Because after dinner Harry made a huge deal about giving her book back and it looks like he just completely ignored her. Half the time he's really nice to her and the other half he acts like she's not even his friend. I think that might make her upset."

Ron looked utterly bewildered. "But he's like that to everybody, even you and me."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe how dense Ron could be at times. "You really do only have the emotional range of a teaspoon."

"Hey!" Ron said defensively. "He's been moody ever since...well, you know. Why would she think he'd be any different now?"

Hermione just gave him a look, there was obviously no point in trying to explain. "Well, we can just hope next time it goes better. I just hope he decides to talk soon, keeping it all in like this isn't good."

Ron agreed, hoping their plan to let Ginny coax it out of him would work, though it didn't seem to be off to a very good start. He frowned, maybe including Ginny but not telling her the plan had been a bad idea.

Harry looked up from his finished essay. He was about to ask Ron a question when he noticed he was sitting at the table by himself. Where had everyone gone? He looked back down at his essay. Ever since his Occlumency lessons had advanced, Harry found that learning to focus his thoughts to block Snape had also taught him how to concentrate in other ways. He'd wanted to finish the essay so he would have more free time the next day and had sat with Ron and Hermione, determined to finish it. He had, and in less time than he thought it would take.

He looked up as Ron and Hermione came back and sat down. "Where'd you guys go?"

They exchanged glances as they sat. "Hermione wanted to borrow a book, we told you that when we got up. Where'd Ginny go?"

"Ginny was here?" Harry looked around, confused.

"You talked to her, at least it looked like you did...I mean from where we were when we were walking up the stairs," Hermione added quickly.

"She was sitting right next to you," Ron added.

He looked at the space next to him as though expecting her to still be there. "I didn't...I was concentrating on finishing this. I don't think I said anything..." Harry realized Ginny had been sitting right next to him and he hadn't even said hello. And he had never thanked her for setting the alarm in the Room of Requirement. "Did she leave?"

"She said she was going to the Astronomy Tower," Neville piped up. They turned to where he was sitting in the armchair closest to the fire. "But I don't think she meant it."

"Why would she go there?" Ron wondered aloud. They looked expectantly at Neville.

He shifted uncomfortably, wishing he hadn't said anything. "She said she was going to jump, but I think-"

"SHE SAID WHAT?" Ron leapt up.

The other students in the common room looked up at his outburst. Lee and Seamus quickly shut their books and headed up to the dormitory. A group of first year girls nervously collected their exploding snap deck and also left, the look on Ron's face leaving no doubt as to why. Hermione and Harry looked on with shocked expressions. Neither of them had ever seen Ron act like this.

Ron loomed over Neville who was cowering in his seat. "Tell me exactly what she said."

"S-s-she asked Harry about his essay but he didn't answer so she said she was going to go do her homework but he still didn't answer so she said she was going to jump off the Astronomy Tower." Ron's hands clenched and Neville hurried on. "I think she was just seeing if he was listening, but since he just said 'okay', she left. I don't think she actually-"

Ron whirled around to face Harry, who was just standing there, bewildered. He didn't recall saying anything at all; much less telling her it was okay to jump off the tallest tower at Hogwarts. "If anything happened to her..."

"Ron, I'm sure she was just kidding, she wouldn't..." Hermione tried to calm Ron down.

Harry blinked. Ron was seriously overreacting. "I didn't know-"

"Of course you didn't notice her! You haven't thought about anyone but yourself for the last five months! We've all been waiting and hoping you'd come around, trying to be good friends...especially Ginny who has never been anything but nice to you, but all you can do is snap at everyone and mope around! You don't care how we felt about what happened, or that maybe we needed a friend, too. It's always about you!" Ron shouted.

Harry couldn't have been more shocked than if Ron had punched him. Where had that come from? As what he said sank in, he began to get angry. "I never asked anyone to do anything! All I wanted was to be left alone but you kept butting in. Always trying to cheer me up or drag me into doing something. If I was such a horrible burden to you, why wouldn't you just leave me alone?"

"Because you can't just sit and brood forever!" Ron shot back. "The world didn't stop just because Sirius died! It's not over!"

Hearing it said out loud sent Harry over the edge. "Shut up! Don't say that! You don't understand! He was like a parent to me, the first real parent I ever had, and he DIED! You weren't even there! You didn't have to watch, you didn't have to see Lupin's face after it happened! You have NO IDEA how I feel! And it was my fault! The whole thing was my fault!"

Ron glared in angry disbelief. "Your fault? See? Everything has to be about you! If going to the Ministry is why it was your fault then we're all guilty. We all agreed it was the best idea, so stop acting like you're the only one who was there. Maybe we weren't all in the same room, but we still went through all of that with you. You weren't the only one who was fighting for their life that night. You're not the only one who misses him, either. But the only person anyone cares about is you!"

"The only reason anyone cares how I am is because the prophecy said that I was the only one who could kill Voldemort. It's not about me, it's about what I can do for everyone else," Harry yelled.

"Oh, get over yourself already! Maybe that's all you think about, but everyone else was worried about you because they're your friends. We care about you, not some stupid prophecy." Ron had turned a frightening shade of red. "All this time we've been walking on eggshells just so we don't upset you. Poor Potter, he's been through so much. What about the rest of us? What about poor Ginny? Poor Hermione, she was knocked out! You never even asked if she was all right!"

"Ron, don't-" Hermione tried to break in.

But Ron wouldn't stop. "Or Neville? Or Luna? Did you ever ask how anyone was after that night? No, you just shut yourself off from everyone." He stopped to heave a breath and Hermione hoped it was over, but was quickly disappointed. "And it's your fault I have to take Advanced Potions!"

Harry had been standing openmouthed during all of Ron's rant and now, in the first chance he had to say anything all he could manage was, "What?"

"I didn't get an O on my OWL! The only reason I'm in that class is because Dumbledore thought you needed us with you if you were ever going to pull yourself out of your self-inflicted misery!" With that, Ron whirled around and stalked angrily toward the portrait hole.

Hermione, who had been stunned into silence, finally found her voice. "Where are you going?"

"To find my sister," Ron stated flatly. He suddenly whirled around and stalked back to where Harry stood. He used all three inches of height he had over Harry to glare down at him menacingly. "And if she is anything but perfectly fine when I find her, you'd better not be here when I get back."

The click of the portrait closing was deafening in the silence of the common room.

Harry turned to Hermione, a look of stunned fury on his face. "What the bloody hell was that all about?"

Hermione looked bewildered but managed to collect herself. "Ron's been...he's been very worried about you," she started hesitantly.

"So he practically accuses me of telling his sister to jump off a building?" Harry shouted.

"No! Harry, calm down. Why don't we sit..." She gave Neville a meaningful look that sent him scurrying gratefully for the exit.

Harry glared as she forced him into a chair. "Calm down! Calm down? Are you serious?"

"Harry! Listen for a minute," Hermione pleaded. "I know you're upset. You're both blowing this way out of proportion. I'm sure Ginny's fine and everything will be okay as soon as they get back. I think Ron just reached the point where he couldn't deal with it any more and it just happened to be you that set him off."

"Deal with what? It's not like anything that happened was his fault," Harry said spitefully.

Hermione looked at Harry sternly. "He was right, you know. You aren't the only one who misses Sirius, or has to deal with the fact they could have or should have done something differently. And he's very worried about you and doesn't know what to do." None of us do, she added silently. Holding up a hand against Harry's protest, she continued, "Not to mention he's finally realized Ginny isn't a baby anymore and he can't protect her from everything that might hurt her. You've seen how overprotective he's been with her since what happened at the Ministry. I think he's afraid that in all the battling against You-Know-Who, there's a chance she might get hurt, or worse. And now she's a Beater on the Quidditch team and helping with Free, there's a lot of opportunity for harm that he can't guard her from. He's been trying to balance all of that with school, quidditch, prefect duties, and worrying about the rest of his family. It's a lot to have to think about and I think hearing Ginny said something like that, even though I doubt she meant it, was just the last straw."

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Hearing Hermione say it like that made him think he had been a bit self-absorbed, which was just one more thing to add to his conscience. His head hurt and he didn't want to think anymore. "You all think I'm overreacting and being selfish, don't you?"

"No, Harry! Not at all. How you feel is perfectly understandable," Hermione said gently.

"I'm sorry I never asked about you after," Harry said from behind his hands.

"It's all right, Harry," Hermione said. "Maybe you and Ron should have a talk about what happened."

Harry was silent for a moment and then sighed heavily. "I just...not yet. I really just don't want to think about it yet." He stood up and turned to the portrait hole. When he looked back at Hermione, she seemed to be on the verge of saying something else as well. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Hermione hesitated. "You remember, in the Ministry, Ron was attacked by those...brain things, right?" Harry nodded. "I think...I think they did something to him. He won't talk about it. He didn't even tell anyone, he was too worried about you."

Harry turned all the way around. He'd practically forgotten why Ron hadn't been in the veil room, not that Ron had ever mentioned anything since that day. Worry made his stomach clench. "He's all right, though, right?"

"Why do you think he always knows when you're having nightmares, Harry?" Hermione asked softly. He turned back to the portrait hole. "Don't tell him I told you, he didn't want you to worry about him. Besides, I think he's doing better." Harry didn't know if she just said that for his benefit or if it was true. He turned when he felt her hand on his shoulder. "When you do feel like talking, we'll still be here."

"I know. When they get back, tell them...tell them I'm sorry." He walked away.

"You'll be all right?" she asked as he reached the door, wondering if she'd made things worse by telling him about Ron.

"I'm not any more likely to go to the Astronomy Tower than Ginny," he replied with a half-smile.

"Good to know, Harry," she replied as he left. She sat down to read until Ron came back and she had to sort him out, too.

As he left, Harry thought he just needed to walk to clear his head, but he found himself thinking of places where Ginny might have gone. Would Ron even know where to look? He went to the Room of Requirement first, trying to picture it exactly as it had been earlier that day. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he didn't know how else to see if Ginny was using the room. When he opened the door, the room appeared just as it had, save for the one thing he had been hoping to find. Closing the door, he headed to the library. It was almost curfew so there weren't many students left at the tables. Pausing, Harry tried to think where else she might have gone then headed down the dungeon stairs to Persephone's office.

Failing to find her there, Harry felt a sliver of fear. Both Hermione and Neville had insisted she'd just said something outrageous to see if he was paying attention, but Ron's angry accusation was what kept coming forward in his mind. You don't care how we felt about what happened, or that maybe we needed a friend, too. Everyone had been so worried about him, it was completely possible Ginny was miserable and no one had noticed. After all, he hadn't noticed Ron's nightmares.

He almost ran up the stairs leading to the roof of the Astronomy Tower. Ron probably found her before me and they're on their way back to the common room. As he went to push open the door, he froze. He could hear voices, but he didn't recognize them as either Ron's or Ginny's. Peeking around the open door he saw Persephone, her back to him, talking to...thin air?

"...already have enough people watching me like hawks, I don't need it from you, too. Do you have any idea the risk you're taking?" she said in a low tone.

Harry could barely make out the muffled reply. "She didn't suspect anything?"

"Of course not! Why would she? However, if anyone catches me up here at this time of night, it would be a little harder to explain," Persephone replied.

Harry realized whomever she was talking to was either wearing an invisibility cloak or was using an enchantment of some sort to remain unseen. Whatever was said in return was lost in a sudden gust of cold wind. He only caught the end of what Persephone said next. "Don't pull this stunt again. Everything's fine, so go before one of us gets caught."

"Why would I get caught?" the other person countered. Harry could tell the voice was definitely male, and though he couldn't identify it, it sounded vaguely familiar.

"Regardless of what you think, I wouldn't doubt they've got as close an eye on you as they do Harry. Now get out of here before someone notices you're missing."

Harry shut the door silently and ran down the stairs as quietly as he could. Who was she talking to? And why? Harry headed back to the Room of Requirement, but this time he hoped it was empty. He needed to think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Harry paced in front of the Room of Requirement the first time, Ginny sat in the back of the library staring at the blank page in front of her. She was feeling a bit silly now, it really wasn't such a huge deal Harry hadn't said anything to her. He had obviously been concentrating on his essay, and he probably would have noticed and apologized if she'd stayed long enough. At least, she'd almost convinced herself that's what would have happened, so in the end, she'd headed to the library. Having left all her Charms notes in her room, she hadn't had anything to do until she remembered she still had her diary in her pocket. Borrowing a quill and ink from a Ravenclaw from her History of Magic class, she'd sat to write recent events in her diary. She'd feel better when she'd gotten it all down. She usually did.

She'd gotten a page and a half written when she heard her name said loudly and with obvious relief. She ignored the twinge of disappointment when she saw it was her brother getting dirty looks from the other students trying to finish their work.

"Ginny! There you are!" He sat across from her.

She looked at him oddly. "Since when did you care so much where I was?"

"Since you told Harry you were going to jump off the Astronomy Tower, that's when." His tone was accusatory.

Ginny ogled. "Did he tell you that?"

"Neville overheard you. He said you were upset because Harry was ignoring you and you said..." Ron trailed off, not wanting to say it again. "Harry didn't even know you had been sitting right next to him. Self-absorbed git," he added heatedly.

Hearing Harry hadn't purposefully ignored her, Ginny played off her careless comment. "Ron, I just said that to see if he was listening! When it was obvious he wasn't, I went to find something else to do. No big deal. You didn't get in a fight did you?" Ginny saw her brother's face flush. "Oh, Ron, really!"

"It's not just you, he's been ignoring his friends, snapping at everyone, moping around..." Ron trailed off, realizing he might have seriously overreacted, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought he was right. "He deserved it."

Ginny didn't look convinced. "Ron, I know it's been hard for everyone-"

"I mean he shouldn't treat his friends like that! Besides, it's not like we're not upset, too. And he's the only one who everyone wants to help? It's not fair! He doesn't even want help! What about us? What about you? What if you did feel upset enough to do something drastic, but no one noticed because they're all worried about him?" Ron was getting louder as he talked.

Ginny glanced around nervously. People were beginning to stare. "Ron? Maybe this isn't the best place to discuss this." When it seemed he was about to direct the rest of his rant at her, she hastily continued. "Why don't we go somewhere more private?"

Ron looked at his watch sullenly. "It's almost curfew."

"Well, you're a prefect, you can say you were out doing rounds or something," Ginny suggested.

"What about you?" Ron asked suspiciously.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Say you caught me out past curfew, I don't care. Come on, let's go to the kitchens and get something."

Somewhat mollified at the thought of food, Ron grudgingly followed his sister out of the library.

They didn't talk overmuch, but after a bit of discussion and some happily provided pastries and tea, Ron and Ginny seemed to reach a familiar sort of sibling comfort. Arriving back at the common room, they saw Hermione was the only one there, sitting in front of the fireplace reading a book, Crookshanks contentedly purring on her lap. She marked her page as they neared.

"Oh, good, you found her. See? I told you there was nothing to worry about," Hermione said.

Ginny looked from one to the other. "It was just a careless comment, I didn't really mean it."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow at Ron who had the grace to blush. "I had to make sure."

Ginny patted his arm. "It's all right. We're all sorted out now."

"Where's Harry?" Hermione glanced behind them.

Ron and Ginny looked at each other then back at Hermione.

"I thought he was here," Ron said.

Hermione shook her head. "He left right after you did. He said to tell you he was sorry."

"He hasn't come back yet?" Ginny felt a twinge of anxiety. They hadn't been gone that long, but it was now past curfew and who knew what Harry was thinking.

Hermione stood, worry now evident on all their faces. "Should we go look?" She looked at her watch and her face fell. "It's past curfew."

"Don't you think finding Harry is a little more important than following the rules right now?" Ron said, exasperated.

"That's not what I-" Hermione stopped abruptly when Harry walked in the portrait hole.

Seeing the three of them staring at him in surprise almost made Harry want to smile. He always seemed to catch them when they were talking about him. But come to think of it, he seemed to be the only thing they ever talked about. Ron and Hermione were arguing as usual, was that why he hadn't noticed anything amiss with Ron? Hermione didn't treat Ron any differently. Then again, he was happy Ginny didn't treat him differently. Harry sensed there was something to that similarity but the thought was displaced before it could take hold as he and Ron eyed each other. Ron's eyes flicked to Ginny.

Harry could take a hint. "Ginny, I'm sorry about before, I didn't know you were there. Ever since I started Occlumency again, sometimes when I concentrate on something, I don't notice what's going on around me. I didn't mean to ignore you." He stole a look at Ron, hoping his apology was enough.

Ginny looked embarrassed. "I didn't mean to start all this. It was really no big deal."

Harry and Ron locked eyes again, each wondering if they should just pretend the fight hadn't happened. Deciding what was said was said, they seemed to silently agree to let it go. Ginny and Hermione felt some of the tension ebb.

"So we're all friends again? Good. We should all go to bed," Hermione said in a businesslike way. Feeling drained from all the tension and ensuing fights, everyone readily agreed. When Ginny and Hermione had gone up the girls' stairs and out of sight, Ron rolled his eyes at Harry. Harry shook his head in return.

"Where did you go?" Ron asked as they headed to bed.

Harry hesitated. "Went looking for Ginny. When I didn't find her and had run out of ideas, I came back here. I must have missed you."

"She was in the library." It was the first place Ron had looked. He didn't mention their talk in the kitchens.

"I must have gotten there after you left, then," Harry said.

Ron paused on the stairs. "Where else did you look? You were gone a while." Ron thought he was lucky he had found her in the library. Other than there, he hadn't had any ideas where to check.

Stopping on the step below Ron, Harry said, "Persephone's office, Moaning Myrtle's bathroom." He shrugged. "Just around."

Harry wasn't sure why he didn't tell Ron about Ginny using the Room of Requirement, somehow it felt like an invasion of her privacy. He didn't mention the Astronomy Tower, either. Not only did he want to avoid bringing it up again, he didn't want to give Ron the idea he had even considered Ginny might have been serious. Something also warned him not to reveal what else had kept him out for so long.

On his way to the Room of Requirement the second time, he had replayed everything he knew about Persephone and compared it to past experience. On one hand, the impostor Moody had been just as helpful until he had shown his true colors during the Triwizard Tournament, but on the other, Lupin had acted just as suspiciously and had turned out to be a friend. Harry decided not to mention her meeting to anyone, but to be more cautious around her, just in case. He was halfway to where he was going when he ran into her. Literally.

"Careful, Harry. Don't want to run into the wrong person this time of night," she said, as she regained her balance.

"Oh...um...sorry. I was just..." He tried to collect himself.

Persephone waved off his apology, smiling. "No worries. I won't even tell anyone you were out after hours. But you'd better hurry back to Gryffindor, I know Severus or Filch wouldn't do the same. What were you doing out here so late, anyhow?"

Harry tried to come up with a legitimate reason, but couldn't. "Thinking."

"Seems to be a popular pastime these days. Well, I would recommend thinking somewhere that won't give you plenty of opportunity to continue in detention," she said.

"What were you doing out here?" Harry asked.

She raised an eyebrow and he wondered if he'd sounded accusatory or if she just thought he'd overstepped his bounds. "I was on my way to my room but got lost. The staircases changed."

Harry was surprised to sense she wasn't lying. "Oh. You get used to it."

After that, he'd taken her advice and gone back to Gryffindor. Thinking about it again as he changed for bed, Harry knew there must be some reasonable explanation. Seamus, Dean, and Neville were all unusually quiet as he and Ron got ready for bed, though they could tell no one was asleep yet. Catching each other's eye, he and Ron realized they were waiting to see if the fight was over or just starting.

Pointing to his pillow, Harry silently raised his eyebrows in question. Grinning, Ron nodded.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time, Potter," Ron hissed.

Willing himself not to burst into laughter, Harry growled, "Bring it on, Weasley."

They had both been waiting to see who would look out their curtains first and as soon as Dean's head peeked around the crimson velvet, Harry and Ron walloped him with their pillows.

"Hey!" Dean's cry was muffled by the fluffy softness.

Confused, Seamus and Neville drew back their curtains and were immediately attacked by several floating pillows. Relieved Ron and Harry's row had ended in amicable terms, the other boys happily joined in the fight. Laughter echoed down the boy's staircase as Neville cried, "No fair using magic!"