The Book of Morgan Le Fey

Chapter Twenty One: The Prophecy and The Bargain

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Susan left Dumbledore's office in silence. The teachers stayed behind, presumably to talk more Order business with Dumbledore.

Harry clutched Susan's hand, but when Ron made to take Hermione's, she brushed him off. She was clearly upset at the brushing off he'd given her in the office.

Ron said nothing, but he followed Hermione, watching the movement of her hair as she walked. They were all headed for the Gryffindor common room; nobody said anything about Susan being among them. Ron wondered if she would wind up sleeping in Gryffindor Tower tonight.

Hermione reached the portrait of the fat lady first, and mumbled the password, and the portrait swung open. The four of them climbed inside to the common room, where the fire was still roaring. It was well past midnight.

Ron watched as Hermione moved to the sofa and sat down. She stared at the fire. Ron sat down next to her, but she moved away, just slightly. Still, Ron said nothing. He would not have it out with her in front of Susan and Harry, and by now they were occupying the two chairs next to the sofa.

For a long time no one said a word. Ron wondered why they all just sat there in silence, in the glow of the firelight. Didn't it make sense, if they weren't going to talk, just to go to bed?

But somehow, Ron didn't want to go to bed. Even if Hermione was upset with him, even if Susan and Harry wouldn't talk, Ron didn't want to be away from any of them. He didn't want to be alone.

It was Hermione who broke the silence.

'The book,' she said. 'The bond it has with the owner is more powerful than a Fidelius Charm.'

'But...I thought only the Secret Keeper could break a Fidelius Charm,' said Harry.

'Yes, but Luna's mother found the book,' said Hermione. 'Her mother tried to hide it from her and used a Fidelius Charm with Dumbledore, but it didn't work. I've never heard of that happening. It just isn't possible. But...but it happened.'

She sounded distinctly frustrated about this, Ron noticed, but he wasn't surprised. Hermione had long had difficulty dealing with things that stepped outside her logical, well-ordered world. Fidelius Charms were supposed to be unbreakable except by a Secret Keeper, but apparently The Book of Morgan Le Fey had such a powerful bond with its owner that not even that powerful, complex charm worked against it.

Nobody said anything for a moment as they tried to absorb what all the new information meant. It was Hermione, again, who spoke.

'Harry,' she said softly. 'What did Dumbledore mean about a lost prophecy?'

Harry's eyes snapped to her, and the question hung in the air like a lead weight. Susan sat up straight and fixed her gaze on Harry intently.

He swallowed. 'I--I don't want to talk about that.'

Hermione, as usual, did not back down. 'Dumbledore said keeping you safe was paramount above everything else. Everything else, Harry. Why?'

'Hermione, don't,' said Ron. Bloody hell. Why did she always have to push things?

'You don't understand,' said Harry, and he stood up and walked to the fire. Susan watched him but said nothing.

'You always say that,' said Hermione, and her voice grew tight with anger. 'But how do you KNOW we don't understand when you won't tell us?'

Harry said nothing, so Hermione went on.

'Last year,' she said, 'that crystal ball that had your name on it. The one in the Department of Mysteries. It had your name on it. Yours and Voldemort's. That's...that's why the Death Eaters attacked us. Isn't it?'

'Harry,' said Susan, and her eyes widened.

'Harry, you have to tell us,' Hermione persisted.

'ALL RIGHT!' Harry yelled. 'Do you want to know why those Death Eaters attacked us last year? Do you want to know why bloody Voldemort tried to kill me when I was a baby, after he'd murdered my mum and dad? Do you want to know why I didn't die when he aimed the Killing Curse at me? Do you want all the bloody, gory details, Hermione?'

'Harry, don't take it out on her,' said Susan sharply, as she stood up and gave him a stern look. 'You...you have to tell them.'

Ron and Hermione both stared at Susan.

'You know...something about this?' said Hermione weakly.

'Sue, please,' said Harry, and the anger in his eyes melting to a plea as he took Susan's hands.

'Harry, you have to tell them,' she said. 'They're your best friends. You can't keep doing all this by yourself, and I...I can't help you on my own.'

There was another silence as Harry and Susan looked at one another. Then Harry looked at Ron, then at Hermione, and back at Susan, and he nodded.

Susan nodded back, squeezed his hands, and sat down again. Harry turned halfway to the fire and stared down at the floor.

'The prophecy Dumbledore mentioned,' said Harry. 'It...it's about me. Me and Voldemort.' He paused, swallowed, seemed to be gathering his courage. 'It said...it said that the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord would be born...at the end of July. And that the Dark Lord would mark him as his equal.'

At this Harry looked up, and he lifted the fringe of black hair back from his forehead to reveal his lightning-shaped scar.

'This,' he said. 'That's the mark Voldemort gave me. When I was a baby. When he tried to kill me.'

Ron blinked in confusion. Hermione shook her head.

'I don't understand,' she said.

Harry lowered his hand and the fringe of his hair fell back over his scar. 'There was a prophecy about me before I was born. Voldemort heard about it, only...he didn't hear about all of it. He only heard the part about a boy being born at the end of July who could beat him. And that the parents of the boy defied him three times. My parents. So...he came after them. And me.'

Ron stared at Harry. 'Voldemort tried to kill you because...because it was...prophesied that you'd beat him?'

Harry nodded mutely.

'Blimey,' said Ron.

'But he didn't kill you,' said Hermione. 'He tried but he couldn't.'

Harry didn't speak for a moment. He looked at Susan, and she stood up again and took his hand. This gesture seemed to strengthen him somewhat, and he went on.

'He didn't hear the part about marking me as his equal,' said Harry. 'He didn't count on my mum...sacrificing her life for me. When she did that it...it created this protection for me. Dumbledore said it was ancient magic, and that Voldemort hadn't counted on that magic to protect me. So when Voldemort tried to kill me he...marked me instead. As his equal. And...and he transferred some of his powers...to me.'

Hermione gasped.

'That's why,' said Harry, 'I can speak Parseltongue. That's why I have visions. That's why he can get in my head, and I can get in his. That's why...that's why the Sorting Hat tried to put me in Slytherin.'

'Oh!' said Hermione, and Ron nearly fell out of his seat.

'The Sorting Hat tried to put you in Slytherin?' he said.

Harry nodded. 'Don't you get it?' he said slowly. 'I'm...like him. I mean, not completely. But we have similarities. Me and Voldemort. When I saw him as Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets...bloody hell...I even look sort of like he used to look. And he was an orphan and he was brought up by Muggles and he was a half-blood. Just like me. Well, minus the orphanage part,' he added bitterly, in a tone that suggested he might have preferred a Muggle orphanage to being raised by his horrid relatives.

Ron stared at Harry and his head hurt. He was exhausted but his brain was humming. So much new information to absorb in one night. He couldn't remember ever feeling so...overloaded.

Hermione was looking at Harry with an expression of amazement and sorrow.

'Oh, Harry,' she said sadly. 'Why didn't you tell us sooner?'

Harry looked down at his feet. 'I couldn't,' he said. 'After what happened last year? After I nearly got us all killed, after Sirius--'

'Don't say that,' said Ron forcefully. 'You didn't make us go with you.'

'Harry, you can't keep trying to protect us,' said Hermione.

Harry nodded. 'I...I know.' He took a deep breath, then another. His lower lip trembled just slightly. He was trying not to cry.

'Harry, tell them everything,' said Susan softly, and she put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and Ron felt a pang when he saw Harry's eyes shiny with tears.

Harry swallowed hard again.

'I'm the only one...who can defeat Voldemort for good,' he said. 'That's what the prophecy said. It said I have...power the Dark Lord knows not. It said...it said neither can live while the other survives.'

The words hit Ron like a needle in his chest.

'Does that...does that mean--' he began.

'It means,' said Harry, 'that in the end I have to kill him, or he'll kill me.'

He turned away and stared into the fire and said nothing. Susan put a hand on his shoulder. Ron stared at the two of them in awe. He felt Hermione sit back on the sofa. It was an eternity before anyone spoke.

'I...I should take Susan back,' said Harry, looking up at her.

'We'll go with you,' said Hermione at once, standing up quickly.

'No,' said Harry. 'No.' He wouldn't look at Hermione.

'But Harry--' she protested, but stopped when Ron shushed her. She shot him a dirty look, but said nothing else.

'I'll be back,' Harry said, taking Susan's hand and making his way with her to the portrait hole. He paused for a moment and then added, 'Don't wait up for me.' He looked at Ron.

Hermione opened her mouth to protest again, but Ron put a firm hand on her shoulder, and again she stopped, and again shot him a dirty look. The two of them watched Harry and Susan disappear through the portrait hole.

Hermione turned on Ron.

'We shouldn't have let him go,' she said angrily. 'He'll be all alone after he drops her off.'

'He's not dropping her off,' said Ron tiredly.

'What are you talking about?' she said testily.

'Hermione, you heard what he said,' said Ron. 'He said not to wait up for him.'

'I don't--' she began, and then her eyes widened, and she understood. 'Oh.'

Ron felt more exhausted than he had in his life. He knew he should talk to Hermione, apologize for brushing her off before, in Dumbledore's office. But he was just so tired.

'I'm turning in,' he said.

'Ron,' said Hermione sharply. 'Wait.'

'What?' he said. 'I'm bloody knackered, 'Mione.'

'So am I,' said Hermione. 'But you're still going to tell me why you acted like a prat to me in Dumbledore's office.'

Damn, he thought. She wasn't going to let it lie tonight.

'Look, I'm sorry,' he said, throwing up his hands.

'That's not good enough, Ron,' she said angrily, and she put her hands on her hips. 'I was only trying to be helpful.'

'Oh, is that what it was?' said Ron, bristling. 'Look, 'Mione, no offense, but there are times when I wish you wouldn't be such a bloody mother hen all over me, okay?'

'I am NOT a--wait a minute,' she said. 'You're embarrassed because...because you got upset in front of people, and because I tried to be...supportive. I don't believe this!'

'That's not what it was!' Ron lied.

'Stop being such a boy about this,' Hermione snapped.

'What's that supposed to mean?' said Ron.

'You know, pretending you have to be tough and manly all the time,' she said. 'You and Harry are exactly the same. Pretending like you have to be tough all the time, like you can't get upset or be scared or ask for help or...or look a little weak in front of someone--'

'I AM SCARED!' Ron yelled. 'There! Are you happy now? I admit it! I'm bloody scared, Hermione. I just found out that my best mate has to kill the most evil Dark Wizard in the world, and that he's trying to get his hands on a book that'll help him wipe out half the earth. And I'm scared for my parents and my sister--god knows what he might try to do to Ginny, seeing as he's already gotten to her once already. And I'm scared for you because you're a Muggle-born and he's going to go after you and I don't know if--'

Ron broke off and felt his throat close. He turned away from her, ashamed of himself. Of his outburst. Of his own fear.

'You don't know what?' said Hermione, but her tone was gentle.

Ron swallowed and felt a lump rising in his throat. He felt like crying. It was too much. All of it.

He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't look at her, because if he did he just might crack open.

'I don't know...' he said slowly. '...I don't know if...if I can protect them. Or you.' He stared at the fire. He didn't move.

She said nothing, but he felt her move next to him, felt her take his hand.

'Look at me,' she said softly. He wouldn't.

'Ron,' she persisted. 'Look at me.'

He did. His eyes burned.

''Mione,' he said, and his voice cracked a little. But then she put her arms around him and sank against his chest, and he felt his own arms wrap around her and pull her close. He held her tightly against him and they stayed like that for a long time, saying nothing. He didn't cry; his throat hurt.

'You're too hard on yourself,' she said eventually, her cheek leaning against his chest. 'You don't have to singlehandedly protect everyone, Ron. We...we have to stick together. That's all. That's all.'

Ron took a deep breath and buried his face in her hair. 'I just don't know...if...if I'm enough.'

'None of us is,' said Hermione, looking up at him. 'Not by ourselves. Harry's not enough, either. He...he says he's the only one who can destroy Voldemort but...but he can't do it alone. Not really. That's why...that's why we stick with him, isn't it?'

'Actually, I thought we always stuck with Harry because we're gluttons for punishment,' Ron blurted, trying to lighten the mood.

Hermione laughed and gave him a playful swat on the arm, but then she buried her face against his chest again, and they said nothing else for a few minutes. The events of the night and the weight of everything he'd learned seemed to be a bit less burdensome, somehow. Ron felt his heart swell in his chest, and in that moment he wanted to tell her he loved her, because he just felt like he did, so much, right then. He hadn't told her he loved her since the night they'd first kissed on the staircase, and she'd never once said it to him.

He was on the verge of saying it when she pulled away from him.

'We should go to sleep, Ron,' she said. 'We're both exhausted.'

'Yeah,' said Ron. 'You're right.'

She looked at him for a moment, her face full of shyness, and she tipped her lips up to meet his. They kissed softly for a moment, then pulled apart. Neither of them, it seemed, had the energy for anything more tonight.

'Good night,' she said, and she started toward the girl's staircase.

'Hermione,' he called after her. He wanted to tell her again. Why couldn't he say it?

'Yes?' she said.

'Uh,' he said dumbly. 'I...I'm sorry. For being a boy.'

She looked at him for a moment, confused, and then laughed. 'I'm glad you're a boy, Ron,' she said, and she headed up the staircase. He watched her go.

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

Ron awoke the next day feeling groggy and out of sorts. He'd slept badly, his mind whirling with visions of Death Eater attacks. Of Luna Lovegood holding a big book and chanting wildly in some language he didn't understand. Of Malfoy sneering at him and pointing at Hermione and saying 'Mudblood' over and over again. Of lightning shaped scars.

He sat up in bed and reluctantly pulled back the curtains of his four-poster. It was the weekend, and Seamus, Dean and Neville had all gone down for breakfast already. Ron looked over at Harry's bed; the curtains were open and the bed had not been slept in. Which meant Harry had indeed been out all night.

As Ron started to pull the covers off him the door to the dormitory opened and Harry strode in.

He stopped when his eyes met Ron's.

'Oh,' he said. 'Uh, hey.'

He was still wearing his uniform and school robes. His hair was a mess, and he had circles beneath his eyes. But he had a somewhat contented look on his face.

'Where were you?' said Ron.

'With Susan,' said Harry, moving to his chest of drawers and pulling out fresh clothes. He started to pull of his robes.

'No kidding, with Susan,' said Ron, getting up. 'Where with Susan?'

'Just around,' he said.

'You, uh, feel...better this morning?' said Ron gingerly, trying hard not to study Harry too much.

'Yeah, a bit,' said Harry shortly, yanking off his school jumper and loosening his tie.

'Good,' said Ron, and he began to pull of his pajamas and wrap his towel round his waist. For a moment, neither of them said anything.

'So what did you--' Ron began.

'We didn't have sex, okay?' said Harry.

Ron blushed and stared at his feet. 'I didn't ask.'

'You were about to,' said Harry pointedly, as he grabbed his own towel and pulled off his trousers.

'Sorry,' said Ron.

More silence.

'I'd tell you,' said Harry. 'You know. If I had.'

'Oh,' said Ron. 'Uh, I'd tell you, too. If I had. Which I haven't.'

'No?' said Harry.

'No,' said Ron.

'Well, me neither,' said Harry.

'You said that,' said Ron.

'No, I said I hadn't had sex last night,' said Harry, grinning. 'Not that I hadn't ever had sex.'

'You've had sex?!' said Ron, his eyes like saucers.

'No!' said Harry, laughing.

'Shove off,' said Ron, rolling his eyes. 'Well, whatever you didn't do it's put you in a better mood today.'

'I think you're right,' said Harry.

They said nothing for a long moment. The memories of last night's many revelations came flooding back to Ron.

'Listen, Harry, about...about that prophecy business--'

'I don't want to talk about it,' said Harry quickly.

'I'm just saying,' Ron persisted, 'uh...I'm here. Okay. I'm...I'm around.'

Harry looked at him and nodded slowly. 'Thanks, mate.'

Ron nodded back. 'I'm just going to, uh, take a shower. See you downstairs, yeah?'

'Sure,' said Harry.

Ron showered and dressed quickly; it was late in the morning now and he didn't want to miss breakfast. He met Hermione in the common room and they went down to the Great Hall together.

Ron was only a few minutes into his bacon and eggs when Harry appeared, accompanied by Susan.

'Hi,' she said, smiling tiredly at them. 'Is everyone else as completely exhausted as I am?'

'Hi, Susan,' said Hermione. 'And yes. I think we all look like something the cat dragged in.'

'Speak for yourself,' said Ron, elbowing her gently and grinning. 'I love lovely this morning.'

Hermione rolled her eyes affectionately at him. But then he looked up and saw Luna Lovegood getting up from the Ravenclaw table. Next to her was none other than Eddie Carmichael. He was smiling at her and picking up her bag.

'Ron, what--'

'Luna,' said Ron. 'And Eddie.'

They all turned carefully and watched as the Head Boy helped Luna pack her school bag. She looked distressed about something, but Ron couldn't figure what it might be. Eddie was speaking to her and appeared to be trying to soothe her about something. She nodded and he handed her the bag and gave her one of his trademark smiles. She looked up at him with an expression that Ron thought was very close to adoration. Then she turned and headed out of the Great Hall.

At that moment, Eddie's eyes fell on them. They all turned around quickly away from him. All except Ron, who couldn't help but fix his eyes on the Head Boy. Eddie gave him a cool smile, and his dark eyes flashed. Ron smiled coolly back, and watched as the Head Boy sat down again and began to flirt with Marietta Edgecombe.

'What was that about?' said Hermione.

'What?' said Ron.

'Your staring contest with Eddie,' she said.

'Oh, nothing,' said Ron. 'I just don't trust him, that's all.'

'Big surprise there,' said Harry, smirking.

'He's being awfully nice to Luna,' Susan noted.

'Yeah, well, much as I hate to credit Ferret Malfoy with being right about anything,' said Ron, 'that's probably because Eddie thinks he can get in her knickers.'

'Ron!' said Hermione, scandalized. 'Honestly.'

'What?' said Ron defensively. 'Come on, 'Mione, you've said so yourself. The guy's a sleaze.'

'I know,' said Hermione, blushing. 'You just...do you have to be so crude?'

Harry bit his lip; he looked like he was trying not to laugh.

'Well, he's a crude sort,' said Ron loftily. 'How else am I supposed to be about it?'

Hermione rolled her eyes again and swatted him playfully on the arm, and for another few minutes there was silence as they ate more breakfast. Ron was starving and piled his plate high a second time with bacon and eggs. His eyes moved about the Great Hall again, avoiding the Slytherin table, and moving up to the staff table. Hagrid was there and gave them all a wave. So were Professor Sprout, Professor Sinistra, Professor Vector, Professor Flitwick and Hagrid. Bill was there as well, engaging Flitwick in conversation. McGonagall and Dumbledore were nowhere to be seen. Nor was...

'Hey,' said Ron suddenly.

'What?' said Harry, Hermione and Susan.

'Snape,' said Ron. 'He's not here.' And then he remembered something else. The thing that had been bothering him last night, while they were in Dumbledore's office.

'So?' said Hermione. 'Dumbledore's not here, either.'

'Snape wasn't at the meeting last night, Hermione,' said Ron.

Harry's eyes widened, and then narrowed. 'Funny thing, that,' he said. 'And remember how Bill said he got information from some contact?'

'You're saying Snape is the contact?' said Hermione in hiss.

'What do we know about what Snape does for the Order, anyway?' said Susan. 'Nobody's ever told me.'

'We dunno,' said Ron. 'He was always coming and going last year. I wonder--'

But then Hermione shushed him and gave him a look as Ginny came over and sat down.

'Good morning,' she said brightly, and then she noticed that all four of them were staring at their plates and not talking. 'What?'

'Nothing,' said Ron sharply. 'Just some school stuff. The four of us'll go over it in the common room later, right?' He gave Harry, Susan and Hermione a look, and they all understood his meaning.

'Ron--' Ginny began.

'Never mind, Gin,' said Ron. 'Want some eggs?' He picked up the huge platter of eggs and held it up for her.

She sighed. 'All right, then.'

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

In the common room that evening, Hermione pulled some chairs into the far corner of the room. It was such a fine day outside that even as dusk approached, the room was deserted. Ron looked longingly out at the clear sky and wanted very badly to take a fly on his broom, but then he remembered why he, Hermione, Harry and Susan were here in the first place. To talk about Snape. Or more accurately, the lack of Snape. They spoke in low voices and constantly lifted their eyes to watch for any approaching students.

'So,' said Harry,' Snape doesn't show up at last night's meeting, even though everything we learned is really important.'

'And Bill said something about a contact,' said Hermione. 'Snape has to be the contact. Or, at least, that's the most likely explanation as to why he wasn't there.'

'How do you figure?' said Ron.

'Well, he's a spy for the Order, isn't he?' said Hermione.

'A spy?' said Ron, snorting. 'Snape?'

'Yes, Snape,' said Hermione tightly. 'Ron, he's a former Death Eater, remember? Who better to act as a spy for the Order than him? He can get inside and learn things in a way that nobody else could.'

'You're assuming Snape has stopped working for Voldemort,' said Harry. 'I'm not so sure.'

'Oh, Harry, we've been over that a million times--' said Hermione.

'Hermione, would it kill you to at least consider that Snape--a former Death Eater and the head of the house that's produced more dark wizards and witches than any other, including Voldemort--just might be working both sides?' said Harry gently.

'Well,' said Hermione, 'I suppose I can...consider it.'

'What about Eddie?' said Ron.

'What about him?' said Hermione.

'Why's he being all nice to Luna?' said Ron. 'Bit weird, don't you think?'

'You were the one who said he's nice to any girl he wants to...you know!' said Hermione.

'Yeah, I did,' said Ron. 'But, well, Luna doesn't exactly strike me as his type. You know. It doesn't fit.'

'Oh,' said Hermione, and she nodded. No, Luna hardly struck any of them as the sort of girl a handsome smooth-talker like Eddie would be interested in.

'Yes, but,' said Susan, 'we've never seen them together. Alone, together, I mean. Maybe...maybe it's just his usual flirtatiousness.'

'Whatever it is, I don't like it,' said Ron. 'How do we know she hasn't blabbed to him about the book?'

'We don't,' said Hermione. 'That's for Bill to find out, remember? He has to try and wrest it out of someone.'

'And if he's not going to come clean on his contact, he might not come clean on what he finds out,' said Harry. 'We're not even supposed to be involved anymore, remember?'

'Oh, bugger that,' said Hermione. 'We're in way too deep now to quit.'

Ron and Harry stared at her.

'What?' she said.

'Do you have to be so crude, Hermione?' said Harry, grinning.

'Yeah,' said Ron. 'Don't swear.'

Susan giggled.

'This is serious!' Hermione hissed. 'Look, we have to find out if Luna's told anyone.'

'How?' said Ron. 'We can't just ask her. Harry's right; Bill won't tell us anything. Not without Dumbledore's say so, anyway.'

'She had to have told someone,' said Susan. 'I can't imagine anyone being able to keep a thing like that secret forever.'

'She's managed to keep her identity as Morgan Le Fey's descendant a secret,' Hermione pointed out. 'Nobody knew about that.'

'There has to be a way we can find out if she's told anyone,' said Harry.

'Who do you think she'd confide in, anyway?' said Ron.

'Well, she's confided in me.'

At the sound of this fifth voice, Ron, Harry, Hermione and Susan shot up from their seats. Ginny stood in the center of the common room. She was standing with one hand on her hip. In another hand Ron could see bits of flesh-coloured string peeking out between her fingers. None of them had even heard her come into the room, or come down the stairs.

'Ginny!' said Ron, in shock and fury. He could guess immediately what that flesh-coloured string signified. 'Have you been listening all this time?'

'Yep,' said Ginny airily, and she opened her hand to reveal the Extendable Ear. 'I love these--the most practical thing Fred and George have ever invented.'

'Ginny, you shouldn't be eavesdropping!' Ron scolded, and in the next instant he was horrified to realize that he sounded remarkably like his mother.

'How much did you hear?' Harry demanded.

'Everything,' said Ginny. 'I've known about what you've been up to for weeks.'

'GINNY!' Ron bellowed.

'What?' Ginny said, whirling on her brother. 'I was bored, all right. Ever since Dean and I broke up--'

'You and Dean broke up?' Ron interrupted, unable to hide the satisfaction in his voice.

'Thanks for your sympathies,' Ginny said sarcastically. 'Yes. It was almost two months ago.'

'Two months--why didn't you tell me?' said Ron. He whirled on Hermione. 'Did you know about this?'

'No,' said Hermione quickly. 'Ginny didn't tell me.'

'No, I didn't,' said Ginny, sounding annoyed. 'It wouldn't be the first time you lot didn't notice something about me.'

Nobody said anything to this. Ron couldn't; it was true. He had ignored his sister, many times. One time he'd ignored her, she wound up possessed by Voldemort.

'Sorry,' he mumbled, ashamed of himself.

'Forget it,' said Ginny lightly.

'No, you're right, Gin,' said Ron. 'Look, I'm sorry about you and Dean. Really. Do you want me to pummel him for you?'

'Ron, honestly,' said Hermione, throwing up her hands.

'Thanks for the offer, big brother,' said Ginny, smirking, 'but it was an amiable break up, so don't go thinking about breaking his legs or anything. But as I said, since Dean and I broke up, I've been bored. Studying for O.W.L.s is driving me a bit mad and I needed something else to do so--'

'So you've been using those damn things'--Ron indicated the Extendable Ear and remembered he was angry with his sister for being nosy-- 'to spy on us?'

'How the hell else am I supposed to know what you're doing?' Ginny snapped.

'You're not supposed to know anything!' Ron shot back. 'Dumbledore told us not to tell anyone--'

'You've told Susan, haven't you?' Ginny retorted hotly. 'You weren't supposed to do that. And I have as much a right to know what you're doing as she does. No, more so. I'm your sister. You-Know-Who nearly killed me after he possessed me for the better part of a year. I'm involved whether you like it or not. And before you go lecturing me that I'm too young or that it's too dangerous for me to get involved, you should know that Luna told me ages ago about her ancestry and that book you four are so worked up about.'

'Luna told you?' Harry asked, stunned.

'Why the bloody hell didn't you tell us?' Ron screeched.

'You never asked,' Ginny said smugly.

'Did Luna tell you anything else?' Ron demanded.

'Maybe,' said Ginny, her voice suddenly lackadaisical as she took a seat in front of the fire.

'Maybe,' said Ron. 'What d'you mean, maybe? Are you going to tell us or what?'

'Oh, I don't know,' said Ginny, a wicked grin spreading across her face. 'Of course, I can't seem to recall anything just at the moment.'

'Why you little--' Ron began, half rising out of his chair.

'Save it,' said Ginny sharply. 'Here's the deal. I want in. If you want to find out about Luna, whether she's told anyone about who she is or the book and where she's keeping it--'

'You know where the book is?' Hermione squeaked.

Ginny went on as if Hermione hadn't spoken. '--you let me in on what you're planning to do.'

'You want "in"?' said Harry, looking appalled. 'This isn't a game, Ginny! We're not playing a round of Exploding Snap!'

'You can't just come in here and tell us--' Ron began indignantly.

'Can't I, Ron?' Ginny said triumphantly. 'The deal is I'm in. Or you can sit around helplessly and wait for Bill to find out stuff that he'll never tell you. Or I just might let it slip to Bill that you four are still trying to involve yourselves in something Dumbledore told you to stay out of.'

Ron gaped at his younger sister. 'How did you know about that? With an Extendable bloody Ear?'

'I have lots of ways of finding out stuff,' said Ginny, crossing her arms in front of her chest smugly.

Ron and Harry stared at her.

'You can't tell Dumbledore,' said Harry.

'I will,' said Ginny, her eyes narrowed, 'unless you let me in on this.'

'That's--that's BLACKMAIL!' Ron protested.

'I prefer to think of it as creative bargaining,' said Ginny loftily.

'You're worse than Fred and George, you are!' said Ron in amazement.

Ginny gave him and Harry a bright smile. 'Really? Thanks! I take that as a compliment.' And Ron saw that she was serious.

'Bloody hell,' Ron said, putting his head in his hands. 'Harry!'

'I don't think we have much of a choice, mate,' said Harry. He was looking at Ginny as though deciding whether to be angry with her or to be impressed by her nerve. Susan hadn't said a word, but she, too, looked impressed.

'Oh, for--FINE!' said Ron angrily. 'You've got a deal, Gin. But when this is over you're in deep shite.'