The War for Souls

Chapter 3-The Safe House

"No! NO!" In the five years he had known her, Harry had never once seen Hermione this upset. The only thing he could think of that came close was her crying fit in the bathroom first year-the one that had ended with a battle against a troll. Viktor Krum was on the ground, unconscious, on the upper lip of the quarry gouged into the side of Dunharrow Hill. Hermione was sobbing--her whole body quaking violently. Ron was trying desperately to soothe her--his own issues with Krum forgotten in the need to help his best friend. Worst of all was the Dark Mark burned unmistakeably into Krum's right forearm, and the indisputable fact that he had been trying to kill them for the last fifteen minutes. And to make matters even worse, Remus was nowhere to be found.

"Hermione, shhh." Ron pulled her into his arms--the first time that Harry could recall his friend ever initiating physical contact with a girl--and awkwardly stroked her head as he tried to calm her. "Look, maybe he was under Imperius or something. We don't know."

"We will in a minute," Harry said. "Ennervate." Krum blinked his eyes a few times, and looked around.

"Krum," said Harry coldly. "Explain yourself." The Bulgarian looked around, and saw Harry, Neville, Ginny, and Luna all with their wands trained on him, and himself wandless.

"Dark Lord...Karkaroff...told me to capture her..." He pointed at Hermione. "The Dark Lord does not like Herm-own-ninny. I do not know vy."

"Viktor, how could you?"

"It vas the only vay. I could not fight him. Karakaroff, he brought me to the Dark Lord. He threatened my beloffed if I did not do as he said."

"Your what?" said Ron, his voice rising.

"My--how do you say--betrothed. My Sonia."

"YOU LYING, CHEATING, EVIL SON OF A--"

"RON!"

"How--how...to her..." Ron was sputtering now, his face a deep purple.

"Ron, shut up!" snapped Hermione.

"When did he take you to Voldemort?" said Harry, trying to defuse the fight. Good, defuse a fight by talking about Voldemort.

"Right ven I got back to Durmstrang after the Tournament. Karkaroff came to me and said that the Dark Lord vas very angry vith him, and the only vay to please him vas to bring me to him. He vas quite happy that I vas friends vith Herm-own-ninny."

"I can imagine," said Harry, drawing looks of puzzlement from his friends. "Voldemort said when he was reborn that Karkaroff was as good as dead."

"Ya. Karkaroff took me to see the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord vas very pleased vith him, and did not kill him, but he told me that I had to use my friendship vith Herm-own-ninny to get to you, Harry."

"How dare you!" said Hermione, a quiet rage seething behind her eyes. All the anguish she had felt earlier had apparently been replaced by cold fury. "I can't believe he was right! All that time, you were using me! You were spying and reporting back to-to Voldemort!"

Ron looked as though he could have murdered Krum on the spot, and Hermione didn't seem too far short of that point. "Nyet. I vas not reporting back to him. I vas merely trying to gain your trust. My job vas to get you to come to Bulgaria, vere I could take you hostage, and get Harry to come and safe you." Harry didn't think Krum was helping his cause.

"Why are you here, then?"

"I vas sent here after last year, to try to hurry up the process. The Dark Lord vas growing impatient, and now vanted Herm-own-ninny for...terrible things. And Veasley's sister, and another girl, too. He said if I do not bring him these three, he vill take my Sonia and do to her these things, although she is pureblooded."

"Who gives a flying fuck if she's pureblooded!" screamed Ron. "You came to Britain to take Hermione, Ginny, and Luna back to Voldemort and make them his whores!"

"Ya," said Krum.

"Viktor," said Harry. "I believe there's a chance for you. You got pulled into this in a bad way, and I think you can get out of it, but I have to hand you over to the Order."

Like Pettigrew? said a nagging voice in Harry's brain. He ignored it, and pointed his wand at Krum. "Incarcerous." Thick cords bound his arms and legs. "Now where the hell is Remus?"

*****

Remus Lupin looked around his new surroundings, and decided that wherever he had apparated to, it wasn't Dunharrow Hill. Instead of the tree-covered summit and quarried slope that Neville had described, he found himself facing a railroad trestle, a winding creek, and a distant factory smokestack. Looking around to make sure there were no Muggles visible, he tried again, focusing on the place Neville had described.

He failed. He was now in the middle of a pasture, with several bemused looking sheep staring blankly at him. With a disappointed sigh, he closed his eyes, pictured Grimmauld Place, and apparated back to Headquarters.

Tonks opened the door, but he failed to even greet her as he raced down the hallway, colliding painfully--and loudly--with the umbrella stand. The troll's leg crashed to the floor, and the curtains covering Mrs. Black's picture leapt apart. "FILTHY HALF-BREED! HIDEOUS MUTANT! BEGONE! BEGONE! YOU LEAD MY SON TO HIS DEATH! YOU FOUL BEAST!

"Tonks, do something to her!" he screamed, racing up the stairs as fast as he could. On the third floor, he finally paused before entering what was once the master suite of the house. Inside, instead of the sumptuous furniture that had once decorated it, was Buckbeak the hippogriff. Remus bowed low, waiting for an acknowledgement, before he approached the creature. "Beaky, we've got to go! Harry's in trouble!" The hippogriff seemed to understand what he was saying, as he stood up, stretched his wings, and crooned towards the gaping hole in the roof that had been cut to let him in. Remus nodded briskly, climbed aboard, and took off into the late morning sky over London.

*****

The sun had crept past the meridian, and was slowly descending in the western sky when Harry sighted a black speck on the southeastern horizon. He was hovering on his broom, about a hundred feet above the summit of Dunharrow Hill, while his friends kept watch on the bound Viktor Krum below. He quickly shot off wand sparks, and in a few moments, Ginny--on Ron's broom--and Luna had risen to meet him. "Over there," he said, pointing at the shape growing larger as it approached.

"It's a hippogriff," said Luna bluntly.

"How can you tell?" asked Ginny.

"Because of the shape of the beak. No true griffin has a beak like that." Harry didn't press the issue, and turned instead to the question of who was riding the hippogriff.

"Could it be..."

"It's Remus," said Luna, peering into the distance again. "He's riding a hippogriff. I didn't know he had one."

"It's Sirius'," said Harry reflexively, then realized that he had no idea who's hippogriff it was at the moment, and for all he knew, it might have been Draco Malfoy's, unless Sirius was cleared sometime soon.

Harry fired off another round of wand sparks, this time signaling to Remus, and sent Luna back to the ground to tell the others that the werewolf had finally arrived. "I'm proud of you, Harry," said Ginny once the other girl was out of earshot.

Harry's heart jumped. "Why?"

"The way you handled that. You're a real leader, you know, not like Fudge or Lockhart. You know how to make people follow you by doing the right thing."

Harry's stomach started doing flips, which he figured wasn't a good thing when hovering a hundred feet off the ground on a broom. "Thanks," he muttered, and focused intently on the now clealy defined form of Buckbeak, who was headed straight for the wand sparks.

Remus seemed to be handling the hippogriff with incredible skill, and Harry quickly concluded that it was not his first time riding Buckbeak. He swooped down over them, the wind from the massive wings fanning Harry and Ginny's hair, and called to them. "Go down to the ground. I'll meet you down there." They obliged, and soon found themselves explaining the whole story of Krum's involvement to Remus.

"A good thing you did, Harry." Ginny beamed at him, her own praise now affirmed by Lupin. Harry tried to stare straight at Remus. "I'll take him back to London with me after we get you situated. Can you all follow me?" They nodded. "Good. Ginny, take Krum's broom. I want him strapped on behind me. And keep up."

They flew southwest, straight into the rapidly setting sun, crossing mountain ranges, deep-cut valleys, and at least two rather large rivers. Twice Remus banked them in a hard loop to circumvent major Muggle cities, but for the most part, they stayed rather straight. Finally the blue of the Irish Sea gleamed in front of them, and they began to descend. As they came low enough, Harry could see what he presumed to be their goal--a small white cottage with a thatched roof, perched on a cliff overlooking the coast. Remus set Buckbeak down in the spacious back garden, and the six students settled around him.

"Okay," he said. "This is your new home-at least until September. There's a section of beach that you can go to, down the path from the front gate, and the back garden-which should be big enough for some mild Quidditch, if you stay low enough. Don't worry about doing magic--the wards are by far strong enough to prevent the Ministry detecting it. Stay within the bounds. That's very important. For right now, until we can cast the charm, stay in the house, on the beach directly at the foot of the cliff, or in the back garden. When we cast the charm, we might add some of the rest of the grounds into it-these woods for example."

"Is there food and such inside?" asked Ron. Hermione scowled at him. "Honestly, Hermione, I haven't eaten since this morning."

"There's some food, although I hope at least one of you is passable with cooking spells."

"You know my mother," said Ginny. "Did you think I'd escape primary school without being able to cook better than a house-elf."

"Lucky you," said Remus. "Oh, one more thing. There's a room in the basement--yes there's a basement--that has several locks on the outside of the door. That's my full-moon refuge at the moment, so try to restrain your curiosity when it comes to that." Everyone nodded. "Then I'll be off. Mr. Krum will need to come with me to the Order--for his own sake as much as for what he's done--but I should be back in the morning to chast the charm."

After Remus took off again, Harry and his friends set about exploring the house and its surroundings. The building itself was not quite as small on the inside as it had appeared from the air, but it was still rather cozy for six or seven people. The door they entered from the back garden opened onto a narrow hallway, connecting a comfortable sitting room with a small, homey kitchen that put Harry immediately in mind of The Burrow. From the sitting room, one set of stairs led upwards, and one down.

Harry assumed the downward stair led to Remus' quarters in the basement, and turned his attention to the second floor. The second story of the house was, in fact, a glorified loft, nestled close under the thatched roof. A single room ran the length of the house, broken only by the chimney extending upwards from the double fireplace that separated the two downstairs rooms. There was a grate on one side of the chimney, in which a fire was crackling. Six beds were arranged around the space on that side--above the sitting room--in a rough semicircle, with comfortable looking bedclothes piled on each one. Five of the beds were covered in gold sheets with red hangings, and the sixth in blue sheets with bronze hangings. Everyone had a good chuckle at Remus' attempt to play to their house loyalties.

Ron immediately claimed the end bed, opposite the arc from Luna's. Harry dropped his Firebolt on the one next to it, and Neville plopped down next to him. The two remaining girls shrugged, and claimed the last two beds--Hermione next to Neville, and Ginny beside Luna. "Reckon you're ready for some dinner?" asked Ron as they finished dragging their trunks upstairs.

"I get the hint," said Ginny. "Come on, Hermione, we're going to teach you how to work in a magical kitchen." Hermione's eyes lit up at the thought of learning a new skill--however mundane it might be--and she eagerly followed Ginny downstairs.

"I think I'll join them," said Luna after a moment, and she ambled down to the kitchen.

Harry lay back on his bed, relishing the comfort of a magically enhanced mattress after two weeks on the mangled, broken inner-spring bed he had at Privet Drive. "You were incredible today, Nev," he said at last. "We'd never have gotten out without it."

Neville turned red. "Well, you know...it's my area and all, so..."

"Nev," said Ron. "Take some pride in yourself. You fought a good fight today, like at the Ministry."

"Thanks, guys."

"Hey, Harry," said Ron. "You holdin' up okay? I know I've been kinda preoccupied, what with everything going on today, but, I mean, are you alright with...well, Bill told us what happened."

"What happened?" said Neville.

"Death Eaters attacked my Muggle relatives," said Harry. "They killed my aunt and my cousin. That's why I'm here now." Neville looked puzzled, so Harry launched into the whole tale of his upbringing. He recounted the blood magic that Dumbledore had invoked to protect him, his connection with Sirius, and finally, the prophecy.

"But...but, that's me, too," said Neville, a stunned look on his face

"Yeah, it is," said Harry. "But you haven't got this." He pulled his bangs up to reveal his scar. "Voldemort marked me as his equal. He could have just as easily chosen you. In fact, I think that was his next destination the night my parents died, but he never made it that far."

"He was going to come after me?"

"I wouldn't doubt it for a second. He only heard the first half of the prophecy, up through the part about being born to those who thrice defied him. So he narrowed down the field, found you and me, and decided not to take a chance. He got to me first, my mum invoked the sacrifice to save me, and he never made it as far as you."

"Well, thanks. I mean, you might have saved my life."

"Well, just think, Neville," said Ron. "If he'd changed the order around, you could have been the Boy-Who-Lived."

"No, thanks," said Neville. "No, offense, mate."

"None taken."

"Say," said Neville thoughfully. "Do you suppose that prophecy had anything to do with my parents, and what happened to them?"

"Might have," said Harry. "But I know that even if there hadn't been a prophecy, your parents and mine would have been targets for Voldemort anyway. I mean, look, they'd already escaped him three times each before we were born."

"Yeah," said Neville. "At least my parents are still alive," he said. "That means there's a chance, however small, that they could be healed."

"That's the spirit," said Hermione, appearing in the doorway. "I hate to interrupt your conversation, but dinner's ready." Ron jumped up and nearly ran her over in his haste to get down the stairs. Harry and Neville followed at a much more sedate pace.

After a very subdued dinner, Ron pulled out a chessboard from the shelves in the sitting room. "Chess, Harry?"

"Sure," he said. They settled into chairs in front of the fire, and soon the ground was littered with broken pawns, knights, and bishops. Hermione wandered over and sat down to watch--although she was still remarkably quiet after the events of the day.

"You okay, Hermione?" asked Harry.

She nodded. "I just can't believe...well..."

"I know," said Ron. "I mean, I never liked the guy, but I wouldn't have figured him for a Death Eater."

"People get pulled into things like that, though," said Harry. "How many of the Death Eaters do you think really wanted to be running around doing the bidding of Voldemort?"

"I know," said Hermione. "And he seemed really scared."

"I don't think he wanted to be one," said Ron. "I think he just got scared for his family. But I still don't forgive him for cheating on you," he added darkly.

"Ron, we were never dating," said Hermione. Ron's jaw dropped.

"But..."

"He wanted to after the Tournament, but I told him I wasn't ready. And then he told me last year he'd met a girl named Sonia, and they were dating now. And if you'd ever given me the chance to, Ron, I'd have told you that."

Ron opened and shut his mouth several times, but didn't seem capable of finding something to say.

"Well," said Harry, looking over the chessboard. "I think I'm going to turn in now." He walked up the stairs and into the bedroom.

He pushed open the door. There, with her back to him, stood Ginny, clad in nothing but her knickers, obviously changing into her nighshirt. "Hermione?" she said, not turning around.

Harry sputtered, unable to say anything. Ginny turned and saw him. "Oh my God!" Harry wanted to run. He wanted to turn and look away. He wanted to do anything, but he was rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to speak.

"Uh..." Ginny pulled her nightshirt hastily over her head, and Harry shook his. "Uh..."

Ginny was blushing, but nothing compared to the cherry red that Harry's face was. His skin was on fire. Voldemort! Let me face Voldemort instead! "Sorry," he squeaked, his voice closer to a house-elf's than his own.

Ginny cracked a faint smile. "'Sokay. We should do something about that."

"Not much room," said Harry, his voice cracking again."

"No, not much," she said. "I'll give you space," she added, turning and practically running down the stairs.

*****

Ginny raced down from the bedroom, grabbed Hermione by the collar of her jumper and pulled her into the kitchen. "What?" asked the older girl irritably.

"He noticed me!"

"What? What happened?"

"Harry! He walked in on me while I was changing. I was standing there in just my knickers, and he looked like...well..."

"Like Fleur had just walked in the room," Hermione offered.

"Just like that. Oh, Hermione, I should've been embarassed, but..."

"But by this point, you're so desperate to have him notice that you're too thrilled at his reaction to be embarassed," finished Hermione.

"Exactly. Does that make me a scarlet woman?"

"Not hardly."

"Is he any better?" asked Ginny, jerking her thumb towards the sitting room.

"Well, he finally realized I was never dating Viktor," said Hermione. "But I think he needs a while to recover from the shock. Of course, if he'd been any less of a prat about the whole thing last year, he would have known that from the start."

"Of course, but he even believed me when I said I was dating Dean," said Ginny incredulously.

"What? He bought that? I didn't know it was possible to be that thick. Everyone knows Dean fancies that girl from Ravenclaw."

"Mandy," said Ginny automatically.

"Yeah, that's it." A dark look came over Hermione's face. "Ginny, are you sure Harry didn't buy that line too?"

"Oh," said Ginny. Her face fell. "Well, I'll set him straight," she said.

"I hate to break up the girl talk," said Neville's voice from the doorway. "But we need to figure out how we can change for bed, since there's only one room." Both girls burst out laughing hysterically, causing Neville to sputter and ask what he had done.

Eventually, Hermione conjured a sign that read "BOYS" on one side, and "GIRLS" when a button on the top of it was pushed. The idea was that the sign would hang on the bedroom door, and let everyone know if someone was changing. A general agreement was made that everyone would have to be content with everyone else seeing their pyjamas or nightshirts. Harry and Ginny blushed furiously when this was brought up, but the practicality of the situation--and a well-placed glare from Hermione--kept their mouths shut.

*****

The sun was streaming through the gaps in the thatch when Harry woke in the morning. Hermione was already awake, and had lit a fire in the grate on the second floor. "Remus floo called this morning," she said as Harry climbed out of bed. "He said he'd be here by ten to cast the Fidelius Charm. That should be fascinating. I've always wanted to see what that was like when it was cast."

"Hermione," said Harry. "I had a traumatic evening yesterday and it's first thing in the morning. I'm sure the Fidelius Charm is fascinating, but right now I'm more interested in breakfast."

"Oh, alright," she said. "Come on, Ginny showed me some charms to conjure food." Harry followed Hermione down to the kitchen, but for some reason, the image of Ginny in her knickers was burned into the front of his brain.

Bloody hell! I've been dreaming this all night, and I can't get it out of my head this morning!

The rest of his housemates trickled downstairs through the morning, and--with the exception of Neville and Luna--were seated around the fire when Remus flooed in. A moment later, Harry was surprised to see the fire glow green again, and Albus Dumbledore appeared through the fire. A third time the fire flared, and Mad-Eye Moody emerged from the flames. "Ah," said Dumbledore. "Let me explain a few things and then we can cast the charms."

He waved his wand and conjured a plush armchair in front of the fire, and sat facing the students. "As Remus told you all last night," he began, "this is the safe house. We are in Wales, on the north coast of that land. The standard Muggle-repelling charms and wards have already been applied to this property, and we will soon be casting the Fidelius Charm to protect you all. Alastor has graciously agreed to serve as your Secret-Keeper until the start of the school year."

Everyone's eyes flickered unconsciously to the grizzled form of Mad-Eye Moody standing mutely by the fireplace. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. There were few people he would trust to keep the secret more than the ex-Auror.

"I have to leave very soon, and leave you all to your own devices," said Dumbledore. "A member of the Order will be popping in about once a day to see you, but that's about it. I'm afraid we cannot spare any more."

"Quidditch?" said Ron. Hermione scowled at him, but Dumbledore smiled indulgently.

"There's a field behind the hill. You'll see it when you go out. Stay in that field, you're within the wards. Now, three things you have to know. I already told you that your Secret-keeper is Moody. He's as safe as they come, as you all know by now." There were nods around the room. "This"--he held up a parchment--"is a list of all the people who will immediately be give access to the safe house. I want you to look at this and cross off anyone you don't personally feel is safe." He handed the parchment to Harry.

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts

Minerva McGonnegal, Professor at Hogwarts

Remus Lupin, Order of the Phoenix

Alastor Moody, Order of the Phoenix

Nymphadora Tonks, Order of the Phoenix

Kingsley Shacklebolt, Order of the Phoenix

Poppy Pomphrey, Order of the Phoenix

Daniel Smythe, Order of the Phoenix

Arthur Weasley, Family

Molly Weasley, Family

William Weasley, Family

Charles Weasley, Family

Frederick Weasley, Family

George Weasley, Family

Fleur Delacour, Family

Beatrice Longbottom, Family

Leonard Lovegood, Family

"Sound good to everyone?" said Harry as he finished reading. "Except, I wonder why Fleur is family on there?"

"Oh," said Ron. "Never got the chance to tell you. She and Bill are engaged now. Getting married next summer."

"My parents," said Hermione.

"Who is this Daniel Smythe?" asked Neville.

"Oh," said Ron. "He worked with Charlie in Romania. He's been here for a while helping Mum and Dad out."

"My parents," said Hermione, a little louder than before.

"Oh, now I remember," said Harry. "He must have been one of the ones who was at Privet Drive the day Aunt Petunia..."

"Right. He was with Bill the day before you got there. He's fully Muggle-born, so they need him a lot to help out with Muggle stuff."

"Ah--what, Hermione?"

"My parents!" she bellowed. "Muggles or not, you put my parents on that list right now, Harry Potter!"

"Got it," he said. "Not my list, though--blame Lupin." She continued to seethe as he wrote Richard Granger and Amanda Granger on the list.

"Hermione," said Lupin. "It won't be easy to get them here, with the Muggle-repelling charms and all."

"I know, but I'm not having Moody keep them away out of paranoia." She flashed a nervous smile at the Secret-Keeper, who scowled at her, then looked rather fondly at--or through--the back of her head as she turned away.

"Well, Potter," growled Moody. "Let's get the others down here and get on with it. Are they having a lie-in?"

"They're out in the garden," said Ginny. "Neville brought some plant cuttings."

"What? You're in a safe-house! Don't wander!"

"Alastor," said Dumbledore calmly. "I'm sure Mr. Longbottom and Miss Lovegood have not wandered. And given their mutual fondness for Herbology, to say nothing of Mr. Weasley's near-obsession with Quidditch, I think we really should give them some space outdoors within the charm, don't you think?"

"Well...I suppose...ah, got them. Not too far away." He focused his magical eye on the wall opposite the kitchen door. "I'll fetch them."

When they were fetched, neither looking at all pleased at having been deprived of the chance to tend their deadly herb patch, Dumbledore began to explain the Fidelius charm. And Harry began to doze.

When did Dumbledore start channelling Binns?

"--the Secret-keeper can escort anyone into the building personally without breaking the charm--"

At least its warm in here. But the walls are too damned white. We need to paint them.

"--Alastor is not someone who would be immediately suspect--"

Ginny looks nice this morning. Not as nice as last night. Damn! Stop thinking that!

"--you have to stay within the bounds we've given you--"

Wonder what Neville and Luna were really up to out there?

"Potter! Wake up!"

Damn. Moody caught me.

"We're going to perform the charm now. Now, all six of you are the owners of the secret. I need you to stand in a circle, please, and point your wands inward and down." There was some fumbling as everyone moved around the couch, the chessboard, and the fireplace tools to get into a circle. "Alastor, if you would stand in the center, please." Ron and Harry parted to let Moody through. "Now, Alastor, place your wand in the air. You six, focus very hard on Alastor. Alastor, I want you to focus on this house, and the bounds we discussed. On three, speak the incantion. One...two...three..."

"FIDELIUS!" Seven voices called out the charm at once, and a shimmering gold light flew from all six wands in the circle, surrounded Moody, and then shot out of his wand in an effect very similar to the wand-bonding that had saved Harry's life in the graveyard. He couldn't see where the segments of golden light ended, but he assumed if he hadn't fallen asleep--sort of--while Dumbledore explained it, he might know.

"Well," said Dumbledore when the light faded. "With that done, I think Alastor and I should return to Headquarters. Oh, Harry, there is still the slight matter of Sirius' will needing to be resolved. I think we can arrange for that to be done some other time, though." With that, Dumbledore and Moody disappeared through the floo back to wherever they had come from.

"Harry," said Remus. "I know you don't really want to think about it, but Albus is right. Sirius' will needs to be resolved at some point. It's not really very simple, nor is it all clear what will be allowed or disallowed, but the straightforward provision is that I'm to be your guardian until you're seventeen. If you don't mind, that is."

"No," he said. The thought that Sirius was really gone came crashing back for a moment, and the sadness and emptiness he had felt since that night at the Ministry flooded his brain. "No, that would be wonderful."

"Well," said Remus. "I would offer to let you live with me, but you already are. Just remember what I told you yesterday at The Burrow, and don't get too down. I should be here to see you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Remus," said Hermione.

"Yeah, thanks," said Harry fondly, feeling a surge of affection for his father's last remaining friend.

By that night, Hermione was fully recovered from her shock over Viktor, and was showing great interest in Harry and Ron's game of chess.

Luna had taken Neville off for a nocturnal expedition in search of some sort of creature, and Ginny was upstairs working on summer homework. The flames cast a faint glow over the whitewashed walls, which Harry thought again needed something done to them. "Check."

"Knight to e3. We should paint the walls in here"

"Castle to e3. Check. Why?" Harry shook his head. Ron was really too good at this.

"One of these days, Ron, one of these days. King to f1. Because they're too damned white. I feel like I'm in St. Mungo's."

"Queen to f5. Checkmate." He paused to sweep the board clean. "Not today, Potter."

"Beating you at chess or painting the walls?"

"Neither. Beating me at chess, never; painting the walls, tomorrow."

"Ha, ha," he said. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a sight of Ginny changing the sign on the door from "GIRLS" to "OPEN" as she went in. "I think I'm going to go up to the bedroom for a minute," he said.

Ginny was sitting up reading in her bed when Harry found her. "Hey, Ginny."

"Hey, did my brother kick your arse at chess again?"

"Yes. I think we need to paint the walls in the sitting room. I don't suppose you're any good with color charms."

"No, that was always Bill's job. Why did you decide to come up?"

"Ah, I was tired of losing, and I realized I hadn't seen you much...well...I mean, talked to you much. So I decided to come up here and visit my conscience."

"Stop calling me that," she said, but there was a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Only when you stop saving me from myself."

"Just paying you back for the Chamber. Speaking of that, did you know Fred and George have created a whole kit of fireworks of The Adventures of Harry Potter?"

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes, I'm afraid."

"Look, I'm sorry about the other night. I honestly didn't know you were up here. Just...I mean, I like Dean, I wouldn't want to mess with--"

"Oh, honestly, you too? Do you know Mandy Brocklehurst?"

"Uh..."

"Ravenclaw? Your year? The girl Dean Thomas has fancied since my second year?"

"But on the train, you said--"

"To wind Ron up, not because it was true. He was being a git, telling me what to do and everything. I just decided to shut him up."

"Oh, well, I mean...I still didn't mean to walk in on you like that."

"Harry, don't worry about it. I have six brothers, seriously. It's not the first or the last time it's happened."

"Oh. Um...so is there anything going on with your brother and Hermione I ought to know about?"

"Well, we all know they fancy each other, have since the Ball, but Ron's too thick to realize she fancies him, and she's too insecure to tell him, so they've been dancing around each other since school got out. Oh, Harry, you should've seen him after the Ministry. He was so worried, he barely left her side in the Hospital.

"Is she better?"

"Getting there. I just would hate to be Dolohov if Ron ever catches up with him."

"He have any problems from the brains?"

"Not that I've seen, but, then, he's been confiding more and more in 'Mione."

"Oh, no. He isn't calling her that, is he?" She nodded, smirking. "When'd that start?"

"Last week. Sickening, really."

"Inevitable is more like it."

"You ever have that feeling about her?"

"Hermione? Heck, no. She's...I dunno...like my sister. That's like asking you if you fancy Ron!"

"Oh, okay. Good." She rolled over and looked back at her book. "Potions," she hissed. "Is there a point to any of this?"

"Not with Snape teaching," said Harry. "I think I'm going to turn in," he said. Just watch the book for a moment." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he was shocked at the boldness. He hadn't asked her to leave the room or anything. Blushing furiously, he changed as rapidly as possible and dove behind his bed hangings. He tried desperately to sleep, but the sight of Ginny kept dancing on the back of his eyelids until, exhausted, he finally managed to drift into dreams--dreams of Ginny.