The Knights Of Walpurgis

Chapter Twenty-One: Hope Springs Eternal

Harry stood atop a tall hill, the highest point as far as the eye could see. A rolling landscape surrounded him in all directions, and a rich, dark, pre-dawn sky spread out above his head from horizon to horizon.

He felt confused, as though someone was speaking just outside his hearing, moving just outside his range of vision. Distantly, he thought, there was the clash of metal on metal, but it was hard to be sure.

He knew where he was, he realised with a jolt. But he didn't know how he had got there, or how he would get back.

He looked around, curious for any hint of what had brought him to the place, but everywhere was empty. Something in the distance caught his eye, and he turned to face it more directly. It existed at the very limit of his vision, and he felt frustrated as it seemingly taunted him. With a deep sigh, he decided to make his way in that direction, and looked about him for a path down the steep hillside.

"You should wait," came a voice from behind him. He looked around and saw a very pretty blonde woman standing there.

"I'm going to look," Harry said. "I can't wait around here."

There was a pause, and then the blonde woman nodded.

"She's right," she said. "Whatever that is, we'll be at our strongest with the four of us here."

"I'm strong enough as it is," Harry said. "He's not coming. You know that. No one has heard from him in nearly a month. For all we know, he's dead."

"Don't say that," the blonde woman said, looking upset at the idea.

"I'm sorry, but it's probably true," Harry said. "We shouldn't lie to ourselves. He's gone, and that's that."

There was another long pause. The blonde woman seemed to be listening to something, but Harry couldn't decide what.

Harry turned and looked back across the valley, straining his eyes to make out any sort of detail.

"You should say something to them," the blonde woman said. She laid a hand on his arm and pulled him gently towards the other side of the hill. "They've come here on your word. You should tell them why, Godric."

Harry found himself looking down once more on the massed ranks of the tens of thousands of wizards gathered at the foot of the hill. It was amazing, almost inconceivable, that so many wizards existed in Britain, but here they were. The clash of metal upon metal he'd heard earlier was identified as the sounds of armoured warriors clashing swords together, or against shields. As Harry watched, the sword one man was holding vanished, leaving him holding a wand that he used to cast a fiery lasso at his opponent, yanking away his shield. The other man yielded and the two shook hands.

Harry remembered Hermione saying that wizards were much more common at this time in history, and he was only slightly surprised to see that a number of wizards had apparently become knights of the realm. Harry supposed that this was a time in which wizards and Muggles had mixed freely.

He turned back to the blonde woman, who seemed to be nodding in agreement with something that someone else had said.

"Rowena's right," she said. "Mercenaries and dark creatures... There's no honour in this lot, Godric. Their leader doesn't seem to be here to negotiate with, and we can hardly let them just wander free once they leave that shield. I just wish I knew exactly who'd brought them here. I'd feel much happier if I could talk to someone. I'm not a fighter, Godric."

"It doesn't matter," Harry said. "If it comes to a fight, we'll win."

*

"Hey, Harry, get up you lazy lump. You're going to be late for breakfast."

Harry groaned, and wondered whether it was possible to arrange a private room. Every time he got a little bit further...

Tossing back the covers, he looked at his watch and saw that he was definitely going to be late. Seamus and he were alone in the dormitory, the other boy struggling with his jumper, which he was putting on inside out. Harry opened his mouth to mention it, but decided to pay his friend back for waking him.

"You were out late last night," he said, grabbing his clothes and quickly getting changed.

"Yeah, I know," Seamus said, pausing halfway through tying his shoelaces to smile and sigh. "I'm finally getting somewhere with Parvati."

"Oh, that's good," Harry said.

"What about you?" Seamus asked. "Dean said you were late back last night too. Not long before me, even," he added, with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Harry grinned, but shook his head. "I took my Firebolt out," he said. "Me and Susan broke up last night."

"Oh, sorry to hear that," Seamus said. "Her idea or yours?"

"Hers, I guess," Harry said. "It's for the best, I suppose."

"Hey, if you want, I can have Parvati find you someone--"

"No! Er, no, it's okay," Harry said. "Thanks, though."

Seamus shrugged and went back to tying his tie. Harry was tempted to crawl back into bed, but knew that hiding away wouldn't solve anything.

I bet Malfoy's heard by now, as he and Ernie are such good friends. I don't need to put anyone else in harm's way.

Harry and Seamus finished dressing and made their way down to breakfast, hurrying to avoid missing it.

When they reached the Great Hall, however, they were pulled up short by a scene unfolding just outside the doors.

"Now Cho, I--"

"Don't you Cho me, Ernie," Cho Chang yelled, her cheeks flushed with anger as she struggled to break free of the grip that her friends had on her robes. The two were surrounded by students from all four houses and it took a few seconds for Harry and Seamus to push their way to the front.

"Look, you knew that I--"

"You were using me!" Cho spat. "Don't deny it. I thought that you were different! You and Malfoy, you're just the same."

Ernie flinched as though he'd been slapped. Behind him, Harry noticed for the first time, was Susan, her features showing a mixture of anger and pity as she looked at her fellow Hufflepuff.

Cho looked to be on the verge of tears. Harry wanted to just walk away, and let the pair of them sort it out between themselves. It also crossed his mind, briefly, to tell people about the highly public, and very embarrassing scene, the way that his private life had been splashed across the school. Instead, something made him push through the front row of the crowd and stepped into the circle.

"He's not worth it, Cho," he said.

Cho glanced at him, and then turned a furious glare on Ernie. She pointed at him, sniffing loudly.

"He--"

"Not Ernie," Harry said. "He's a bit of an idiot, but he's harmless enough. Malfoy's not worth getting worked up about, though. He's just a sad little git whose dad's in jail and who doesn't have anything better to do than try and wind me and my friends up. He doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. He played you, didn't he?"

Harry paused, and then smiled as something Neville had said came to mind.

"He probably doesn't have many friends left in Slytherin," Harry said, slowly and clearly. He wanted everyone to hear this. "He's trying to make friends in other houses, but the only way that he knows how to do that is to bully other people. He thinks that it makes him look strong.

"I have a very good friend who doesn't give a gnome's arse what Malfoy says, thinks or does, and to be honest, I'm beginning to come around to her way of thinking." He grinned, and felt a small thrill as he realised that everyone was watching and listening. "Draco Malfoy is the son of a Death Eater. His dad is in Azkaban, and his dad's boss wants to make my life miserable before he tries to kill me."

On the other side of the circle, Harry could see Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna all standing together. Hermione's hands were clasped to her mouth. Ron's were clenched in fists at his side.

"Voldemort," Harry paused for the gasp that always came whenever he said the name. "He won't succeed. He's not going to kill me, and if the best that his followers can come up with is trying to make us hate each other by fighting over boyfriends and girlfriends, then I think that's pretty pathetic.

"I'm sure you've all heard of the Hogwarts Alliance. We meet every Wednesday to practise Defence Against The Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration - anything that might make a difference if we ever have to fight for our lives. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come and join us. Any year, any house."

A ripple of surprise passed through the group at this.

"This is Ernie McMillan," Harry said, pointing at the Hufflepuff Prefect. "And this is Cho Chang," he pointed at the Ravenclaw seventh year. Both looked as though they would rather have been almost anywhere else at that moment.

"They're both members of the HA. Founding members, at that. Now, I've had my disagreements with them, but that doesn't matter. The HA is there for everyone, and I trust the members of the group. I'd trust Ernie with my life, Cho as well. Petty arguments don't seem very important when you're staring down the wand of a Death Eater, believe me."

Harry had been looking at the students as he talked. Realising that he had nothing else to say, he looked over their heads and blushed slightly as he realised that both Dumbledore and Snape had joined the audience while he had been talking.

"I think," Dumbledore said, making several people jump. "In view of the circumstances, that it would probably be best if breakfast were allowed to continue for another hour or so. Miss Granger, would you be so good as to go to the kitchens and inform Dobby or one of his colleagues?"

Hermione nodded and disappeared from the crowd, Ron in tow.

"Well, a most exciting start to the day," Dumbledore said. "It's a good thing that it is Saturday. Harry, I would like to see you after breakfast. Severus, I believe you were saying how good the scrambled eggs were this morning? Care to join me for a second helping?"

Snape started in surprise, but followed Dumbledore back into the Great Hall. More than half the crowd followed, apparently anticipating further entertainment if they spent more time around Harry. For his part, Harry sat next to Nearly-Headless Nick, who applauded his school spirit. Harry smiled, and then hungrily joined Seamus in attacking the great heap of bacon that had appeared in front of them as they sat down.

"Harry?"

Harry swallowed his half-chewed mouthful of bacon as he turned around, doing his best to ignore Seamus' suggestive grin.

"Hi, Cho," he said.

"Can I sit down?"

"Sure," he said, resisting the urge to suggest that the Gryffindor chairs were charmed to forcefully repel non-Gryffindors. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Ginny grimacing, and wondered if she'd thought the same thing.

"I..." Cho managed, as she sat gingerly beside him. "I wanted to apologise."

"For what?"

"For being so horrible to you this year, and for not understanding you last year. It was unfair of me."

"Forget it," Harry said. "Last year was... not a good time for me. And as for this year, well, I imagine Malfoy can be very persuasive."

"He was. He said everything that I wanted to hear, about you, about me... Even about Cedric. He's very smart, although you wouldn't know it to look at him," she half-laughed, half hiccupped. Harry looked at her in concern. She seemed to be on the verge of tears, and he'd never worked out quite how to deal with her in that condition.

"I wanted to believe him," she said quietly. "I wanted to believe bad things about you, that it was your fault that we broke up, that you weren't a good person. It didn't take much to convince me, or to convince me to tell other people. You... You never seemed to understand..." she tailed off, swiping furiously at her eyes.

"About Cedric," Harry said, finishing her sentence for her. She nodded, her eyes fixed on the floor of the Great Hall.

"Harry, did he... did he say anything? Before he..."

"He told me to take the cup," Harry said, hoping that he was about to say the right thing. "He was fair, and just, and loyal, and he was smart. Everything good that people thought about him - that was Cedric. But I'm not telling you anything new, am I?"

Cho shook her head, sniffing loudly. Hesitantly, Harry reached out and rubbed her arm.

"He was a good person," Harry said. "And he cared for you a lot, I know that. I know you miss him, but you shouldn't be miserable the whole time. Cedric would hate to see you like this, and if you let his loss dominate your life, then you're letting Voldemort win."

Cho wasn't crying now, although she looked as though she wasn't very far off.

"I lost my godfather last year," Harry said. "It hurt for a long time. It still does, but he wasn't the sort of person to be beaten, and nor was Cedric. I think that they would have liked each other a lot, actually. My godfather believed in honouring the dead by living his life as fully as he could. I think that Cedric would have been the same."

Cho nodded tentatively, and slowly stood up.

"Thank you, Harry," she said. "I don't... I guess I have a lot to think about."

"You can come and talk to me whenever you want," Harry said. "Or Dumbledore. He's helped me a lot."

Cho smiled weakly. As she walked away, she had the air of someone who suddenly wasn't at all sure of herself. Harry watched her leave the Great Hall, and hoped that he'd said the right thing. He had a feeling that Cho would have to do a lot of the work for herself.

"Potter."

Harry turned slowly, wondering as he did so if he would ever find time for breakfast that morning.

Ernie had taken Cho's seat, and was watching Harry closely.

"I owe you an apology," Ernie said.

"What for?" Harry said guardedly. Cho was one thing, Ernie was a completely different kettle of Hippogriffs.

"For my part in everything that Malfoy has done since Christmas, and for being completely unpleasant to you for the last several months as well. I... I am not a good loser."

"So now you've won, and you want to shake hands and walk away?" Harry glared at Ernie. With Cho, he had felt sympathy and compassion, for he knew that the Ravenclaw girl had been confused and vulnerable since Cedric's death. With Ernie, he was able to make no such allowances.

"No."

"No? You've got Susan now, don't you?"

"I honestly don't know," Ernie said. "Last night, I thought that it was all settled. You were out of the way, and I thought that I had a clear path. But Susan let me know in no uncertain terms that if anything is going to happen between us, then I will have to smarten up my act. And I can hardly force her to change her mind, can I? It's her decision. If nothing else, her time with you drove that point home quite forcefully."

"Well, of course it's her decision," Harry said, not bothering to hide his exasperation. "I don't know much about girls, but I know that you can't just expect someone to like you and have it happen. It'd be a lot easier if it worked that way, but it wouldn't be very fair."

On the other side of the table, Ginny got up and walked away. Harry watched her for a second, before turning back to Ernie.

"I know," the Hufflepuff said. "But I was angry with you. I like Susan, I don't mind telling you that. She's funny, and fun, and quite mad in her own way. It's charming, and I must admit I found myself rather at a loss when I realised at the start of the year just how much I had fallen for her. Then I thought that you had swept in with your fame and swept her off her feet, or," he laughed unpleasantly. "That's how Malfoy described it. I didn't take much persuasion to see you in a poor light, and myself and Cho became close, reinforcing one another's opinions of you."

Ernie shook his head. "Hardly sound basis for a relationship, I suppose. Susan was quick to point this out last night - and she virtually ordered me to come clean to Cho about how I really felt about her. You, ah, may have guessed how that turned out from what you saw just now."

Once again, Harry found himself measuring his words, and trying to decide whether what he was going to say was correct. He half hoped that it wasn't, that what he was about to say would make Ernie feel miserable. He glanced across at the Hufflepuff table, where Susan was sitting with Hannah and Justin, apparently quite unaffected by the scene that had played out in front of her. He felt a surge of affection for his friend, and wished for a moment that things had gone better between them.

If she's prepared to give Ernie a second chance - or at least the opportunity to prove himself worthy of one - then I suppose the least that I can do is follow her example.

"Ernie, if something is going to happen with yourself and Susan, then it will do. I think she knows how you feel--"

"I could hardly have been more obvious," Ernie lamented. Harry stifled a smile quickly, in case Ernie took offence.

"Yeah, well, anyway. Give her time. You've been a complete git these last few months," Harry said. He stared at Ernie until the Hufflepuff boy nodded his agreement. "I guess if you prove that you're genuine, then she might take a chance, though."

"It would be more than I deserve," Ernie said. Harry had to stop himself nodding in agreement. Although he didn't feel particularly charitable towards Ernie, he knew how easy it was to make a fool of yourself around a girl that you liked, as well as how irrational he'd felt about Cedric Diggory when the Hufflepuff had been dating Cho.

"Well, if you decide to stop following Malfoy around like you're training to take over from Crabbe and Goyle, I think that you might stand a chance."

Ernie nodded soberly and stood up. He held out his hand to Harry, who stared at it, unmoving. Ernie stared at it as well, and it was only when he was about to let it fall back down by his side that Harry slowly, grudgingly, reached out and shook it.

"I hope that I haven't damaged my position irretrievably," Ernie said. "Either with yourself or with Susan. Will I be welcome at the HA on Wednesday night?"

"I suppose it depends who else is there," Harry said. "But I meant what I said. If you show up, then I'll treat you the same as anyone else. I don't think that we're ever going to be great friends, but if you're on my side then I won't let personal matters interfere with that."

Ernie nodded, and walked away, seemingly deep in thought. As he walked past the Slytherin table, his and Malfoy's paths crossed. Malfoy gave his former supporter a cold glare, and then stalked past him, his usual smug grin unshifting in the wake of the morning's events. Harry wondered what it would take to dent Malfoy's self-confidence - ever since they had returned to Hogwarts in September he had been more arrogant than ever, and nothing seemed to faze him. Harry almost wished that he could feel the same.

With a small grimace at the thought of strutting around like Malfoy, he turned back to his bacon and eggs. To his disappointment, they had gone cold.

*

"Quite a speech, Harry," Dumbledore said.

Harry didn't know what to say, so he shrugged. "I guess it needed saying. I've had a lot of trouble from people this year, and it was nice to be able to tell my side a bit."

"Quite right. You are serious in your offer to open the HA to all pupils in the school?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "We only kept it to third years because the first meeting was in Hogsmeade, and Dennis Creevey still got in anyway. And we've got a few Slytherin members, so taking more won't be a problem."

Dumbledore nodded, but appeared lost in thought.

"Sir?"

Dumbledore turned his gaze back to Harry. "My apologies, Harry. I was elsewhere. Inviting Slytherins to join... well, it is your group, of course."

"You think it's a bad idea?"

"Not exactly. I would advise caution, Harry. There are, I have no doubt, those among your fellow students who are already in service to Voldemort or his followers. There are a number of people from known Death Eater families, of course."

"Like Malfoy, and Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Indeed. Will the sons follow the parents? We cannot say. I am no more able to divine their intent than I am that of anyone else.

"You can't use Occlumency?"

"It is quite illegal, as is the use of Veritaserum or any other such approach. These means of breaching someone's privacy are only allowed when a subject is suspected of crimes, and then only by approved Ministry interrogators."

Harry frowned at this. "I suppose it wouldn't be fair to have Professor Snape looking into someone's mind when he felt in the mood," he said, darkly.

"Quite."

Dumbledore steepled his fingers and peered over the top of them at Harry.

"However, I am sure you know that Mr. Malfoy and his friends are very unlikely to ask to join your group. No, there will be others, I suspect, who will join to scout out what you know, to assess your abilities, and they will not necessarily be wearing green-edged robes. As you yourself have discovered before now, Harry, one cannot expect that simply because someone is in Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor, that they will be a decent sort."

Harry nodded. "The Sorting Song."

"Indeed. The Sorting Hat," Dumbledore waved at the hat, which was sat motionless on a shelf above his head. "Is old and experienced, far more so than you or I. It has come into contact with every wizard and witch to pass through these halls for the last thousand years, and I need not tell you that that includes almost every British wizard of note in that time, good or bad. It knows what it's talking about."

"So, you're saying that I need to be careful?"

"I would hope that you already are, Harry," Dumbledore said, looking very old as he peered over the top of his half-moon spectacles. "Voldemort's trusted spies are canny and often quite brilliant. Short of catching them in the act, you have little or no hope of knowing who they are. Be careful, Harry. What you are doing with the HA is an admirable thing, but you leave yourself open to betrayal should things not go well."

*

Harry found himself looking more closely at the other students walking the halls as he made his way back to Gryffindor Tower. He fought the urge to jump at the slightest noise, remembering how silly he'd found the same behaviour in his friends when they had been in Diagon Alley.

By the time he reached the Fat Lady ("Ulrich the Unready!") he found himself wondering whether he was feeling the same as Mad-Eye Moody did every day of his life.

I'm not sure I can keep this up. It's only been ten minutes since I left Dumbledore's office, and I'm seeing Death Eaters everywhere. Who could ever think that Dennis Creevey is a threat?

But isn't that exactly why he'd be a good spy?

Harry sighed, and dropped into a chair. He was still there an hour later, staring gloomily into space when Hermione and Ron came down the stairs from the boys' dormitory.

"Er, hello Harry," Hermione said, blushing as Harry stared at her and Ron. "How are you?"

"Paranoid," Harry said. "What were you two doing up there?"

"Swapping chocolate frog cards," Ron said, as Hermione said "Homework." They looked at each other, apparently competing to see who could brush the brightest.

"I don't want to know," Harry said. "Do you want to go and see Hagrid?"

The two of them nodded, and Harry stood up, stretching to clear the pins and needles that had set in as he sat almost motionless for an hour. The portrait hole opened, and Ginny entered with a few of her friends, all looking rather windswept.

"Hi," Harry said, as Ginny walked up to them. "Is it cold outside?"

"Not really," Ginny said. "But there's a wind up on the Astronomy Tower."

"Oh, right," Harry said. He glanced over at Ginny's friends, two boys and a girl in her year. "What were you doing up in the Astronomy Tower?" he asked, looking back at her. "It's the middle of the day."

"Just... Nothing, really. We were just messing about."

Harry looked back at Ginny's friends. One of the boys was very intent on the girl, while the other boy was looking in Ginny's direction.

"Oh, right. Do you want to come to Hagrid's?" he asked. "We're going down for a cup of tea."

"Sure, okay," Ginny said. She waved to her friends as they left. Harry noticed that the second boy waved back very eagerly.

*

"Trading cards?" Harry asked. He and Ron were trailing behind the girls, who seemed to be having an animated discussion further along the path.

"Once I got her mind off homework, yeah," Ron said. "She came up to harass me about not doing my Transfiguration essay, and then she had a go at me about sitting on my bed in the middle of the day, and then she had a go at me for not wearing shoes, or something. You tend to tune out after a while."

Harry smiled slightly.

"Anyway, I shut her up by showing her my cards. I'm only three off a full set, so I gave her some of my spares."

"Sure," Harry said. He wondered whether he'd started thinking in double entendres as a result of spending time with Ginny, or if it was because Ron and Hermione had started going out. Shaking his head, he followed the girls - who were now throwing impenetrable looks over their shoulders at Ron and Harry - along the path to Hagrid's.

"Jus' a second," Hagrid announced, as Fang barked loudly at Hermione's rap on the door. Ron sniffed hungrily at the air around the hut, and Harry, who had barely managed any breakfast, wondered whether there was enough of whatever Hagrid was making to share.

The door swung open to the unusual sight of Hagrid in a flowery apron. He wiped a floury arm across his forehead, making it look as though his shaggy hair was going white.

"Hello you th- four, even. Blimey, I'm honoured. Don't think I've had you all down here before. 'Ope there's enough chairs for us."

They trooped into the hut behind Hagrid. Baking things were scattered all over the place, and Hagrid's table and the chairs around it were covered in bowls full of dough, icing being stirred by self-stirring spoons and a number of large burnt objects that Harry suspected had been intended to be cakes. Ron and Hermione immediately claimed one of the big, squashy armchairs to share - Harry noticed that they were now much more comfortable around each other than even just a few days before - while Hagrid settled heavily into the other. Harry and Ginny were left to sit on the rug by the fire, which was very warm and fluffy, if a little on the small side for two people sharing.

"What're you making, Hagrid?" Ron asked, as Hagrid busied himself with pouring tea. The hopeful note in Ron's voice was evident to everyone, and Ginny giggled quietly. Harry could feel her shake against him. It was very distracting.

"Cake," Hagrid said. "I'd offer you a slice, but it's not mine, see."

"Whose is it?"

"Grawpy's," Hagrid said proudly, as though Grawp had been the one who'd baked it. "He's got a bit of a fancy fer one o' the lady giants, so I thought I'd help him out a bit."

"Really?" Hermione asked, as Ron and Harry exchanged wide-eyed looks.

How on earth do you ask out a giant? Harry wondered. And do giants kiss? Is Grawp good looking for a giant?

"Yeah. He's been a bit agitated since they got here," Hagrid was saying, as Harry started listening again. "Didn't like 'em at first. 'Course, he wasn't well treated by them giants when he was living with 'em. Now, this is a different tribe, and Dumbledore made it clear to 'em that the forest's Grawp's home as much as it is theirs, so it's better. Anyway, one of the lady's gave him a right wallop across the face last night, so they seem to be settling okay."

"Er, she hit him?" Ron asked.

"Yeah."

"And he likes her?"

"Yeah, 'course," Hagrid said, as though explaining something to a small child. "It's like... flirting, I suppose. Giants are pretty physical, though, so if a girl wallops a boy, it means his luck might be in."

"Blimey," Ron said, rubbing his jaw tentatively. "And I thought I had it rough."

Hermione elbowed him discreetly.

"Er, Hagrid," Harry said. "Might it not just mean that she doesn't like him?"

"Ah, now, there is that," Hagrid said, nodding. "It could be that. Grawpy's still not the best when it comes to talking, so maybe she misunderstood him, or he misunderstood her, but from where I was standing, after she hit him, she was laughing with her mates and stuff, and she was saying how it was just building up to something down the road. So, I figure she's soft on him as well, and if he impresses her, well, Grawpy might have himself a girlfriend."

On the way back up to the school, Hermione and Ron were bickering about something or other, and Harry and Ginny forged ahead a little.

"So, what were you and Hermione talking about earlier?" Harry asked.

"Girl stuff," Ginny said. "She wanted to know how good a kisser Jack is."

Harry almost stumbled but caught himself.

"And how good is he?" he asked.

"Very good."

"Oh."

"That's what his girlfriend says, anyway."

"Ah?"

"Brett, on the other hand..."

"Yes?"

"His girlfriend says that he needs to practise, but she is his first girlfriend, so I suppose he can't be expected to get everything right, can he?"

"No."

"How was Susan?"

Harry's mouth dropped open, and he looked sideways at Ginny, who was grinning widely at him.

"You're too easy," she said. "Jack and Brett are my friends, and that's all. Hermione wanted to ask me to cheer you up, if you must know. She said that you were in a bad mood."

Harry shrugged. "I'm not in a bad mood," he said. "Just... I talked to Dumbledore. He reckons I need to keep my guard up, that anyone could be a Death Eater or a spy."

"Oh. That's a bit... gloomy."

Harry almost snorted. She made it sound as though he'd said that he thought it was going to rain.

"Is that what's bothering you?" she asked.

"Well, yeah," Harry said. "I don't know whether to go ahead to opening up the HA even wider, or whether I should just keep it to people I can trust."

"Like who?"

"Well, you, and Ron and Hermione. And Neville and Luna, too. Err..."

"Right. Not many, and I'm not sure you can trust me that much, either," Ginny said, stopping and staring out across the lake.

"What do you mean?"

"Harry, Voldemort was in my mind. He controlled me for a long time. He might be able to do it again."

"I trust you," Harry said.

Ginny smiled. "Thank you," she said. "And don't worry about Death Eaters and spies, either. You can either teach everyone, or no-one. In the long run, which do you think will do more good? If you start looking for suspicious activity, you'll find it everywhere -- look at Mad-Eye Moody. You can't really teach the HA anything that a Death Eater can't learn from Tom or one of the others, can you?"

"I might give something away that Voldemort can use against me."

"That's a risk you run just by being here, Harry, but you can either go on and live your life, or spend all your time worrying about what might be. It's not your job to hunt out Death Eaters in school, Harry. It's up to Bill, Snape or Dumbledore to find them. All you have to do is be yourself, however you choose to do it, and if you decide to teach everyone who wants to learn ways of surviving an attack, then I reckon you're doing a lot of good."

Harry smiled. "I don't know why you don't yell at me a lot more. I always seem to be coming to you with problems for you to solve."

"Harry, I owe you a lot. I have to repay it somehow."

"You don't owe me--"

"No, please," Ginny said. She looked out at the lake again, apparently not trusting herself to look at him. "You saved my life, and that's huge, it really is. But, and I know that this sounds silly, but there was something even more important. I hated the idea of coming back here after my first year. I was so scared. But it did me a lot of good, being around you and Hermione in Diagon Alley at the end of summer. You acted like nothing had happened, and you both had so much reason to hate me. You made me believe that other people could accept me, despite what I'd done. So I owe you, Harry, and don't you dare say that it was nothing, because to me it was everything, and I'll do anything to help you for that."

Ginny turned and began to make her way back to the school. Harry followed, aware that Ginny had just said something very important, but at a complete loss as to how to reply. They returned to Gryffindor Tower in silence, and then sat by the fire and laid out plans for the HA with Ron, Hermione and Neville.

To be continued...