Where Do I Go From Here?

An owl arrived the next morning, pecking mercilessly at the window. Annoyed, Harry went to the window and opened it. He noticed that the owl looked immediately familiar, and when realization struck him that this was Errol, the Weasleys' family owl, Harry frantically went to the bed where Ron was fast asleep and shook him.

"Ron, wake up!" he exclaimed, trying to rouse his sleep-ridden friend.

Slowly coming out of the haze, Ron blinked several times and regarded Harry dumbly. "Uh, what is it, mate?"

"Errol is here. I think you ought to take the letter he's holding. Seeing as he's obviously come here from your parents, most likely, it's either for you or Ginny."

"What?" ejaculated Ron, now shooting up from the bed and going to the sill where the owl impatiently waited. "How'd Errol know where to find us?"

"Dunno, but you'd best be reading that note," Harry said, yawning. He was now regretting having stayed up so late the past night. His conversation with Hermione came back and he scowled. Thinking about Snape, he wondered if the Weasleys' letter might have anything to do with the Order finding the traitor's whereabouts.

Ron perused the letter, glad it wasn't a Howler, at any rate. He frowned. "It's mostly about Ginny," he stated forlornly. "Mum isn't too happy that we practically kidnapped her youngest. She also says there's to be an Order meeting in two days... here."

"But who's leading the Order now that Dumbledore's gone?" blurted Harry. "And why didn't they worry about Ginny until now?"

"Beats me," Ron sighed, stratching at his neck. "But we don't really have much choice, do we? You realize the trouble we could get in with the Ministry if we refuse to return Ginny home."

"But they're your parents, too!" protested Harry hotly. "And practically parents to me as well! Surely they wouldn't do anything rash -"

"Harry, mate," Ron cut him off, holding up his hand, as if to instill some semblance of calm in his friend, "Ginny is their 'Little Girl.' She's underage, and you know it. Maybe they thought we'd return in a couple of weeks, but we've been gone a while already."

"How d'you know this letter's even genuine?" insisted Harry, making to grab the parchment from Ron's hand.

Snatching it away and using his height to his advantage, Ron held the message out of Harry's reach. "Because," Ron said evenly, although somewhat annoyed, "I had to use the family code to read it. Only a Weasley could have written this letter, and only a Weasley could read it. Did you really think my parents would be that daft? What's wrong with you, anyway, Harry? You've been acting right mental ever since you woke up this morning."

"Sorry," mumbled Harry, relenting. "Rough night. Not everyone can sleep through it like you."

Ron smiled a little at Harry's half-joke. "C'mon, let's grab some breakfast. We might as well stay here and wait for everyone to arrive. I'll write a reply to the note in the meantime and let them know we're okay."

Going downstairs to the kitchen, Harry asked, "But shouldn't Ginny know about the letter before -"

In mid-sentence, Harry opened the door to the kitchen, only to see Hermione and Ginny already awake and seated at the table. Both girls regarded the boys with exceptionally keen interest for that early in the morning.

"What letter?" inquired Ginny, giving Ron and Harry a look that challenged them to dare protest.

"Uh," Ron said, dumbstruck, hiding the letter behind his back. "Nothing, Gin."

"Really?" Ginny asked, not believing him for a moment. Standing up and charging toward her older brother, she reached for the letter, but Ron refused to give it to her. "C'mon, Ron! Stop being a prat!"

Hermione casually brought out her wand and murmured, "Accio letter!"

The letter flew out of Ron's grip and into her outstretched hand. She lazily handed it to Ginny, who snatched it any gratefully, glaring vehemently at her brother. Defeated, Ron slumped into a chair and reached for a pastry. Whilst he munched on it, Harry sat down as well and began eating breakfast, watching Ginny as she read the letter.

A look of horror grew on her face. "And you weren't going to tell me?" she accused, glowering at the boys.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" asked Hermione, clearly concerned, peaking over her shoulder at the letter.

"My parents want me to come home. They think I'll be in - How did they put it? - 'too much danger.' That's ridiculous! I'm not going back home just to wait and sit there doing nothing while you lot get to help find the Horcruxes to defeat Vol- Voldemort." She spat out the Dark Lord's name for the first time in her life, overcoming the fear of the name and of a lot more - of venturing to find dark enchanted objects that housed parts of Voldemort's soul and even risking her very life in the process.

"Of course I was gonna tell you!" argued Ron, his face turning red. "I just wanted to write back first and tell them that you would be returning home -"

"WHAT!" Ginny roared, balling her fists and standing up. "I'm not a little girl, Ronald! You have no right to make decisions for me, let alone not even tell me that you're doing it behind my back!"

Harry cast a desperate look in Ginny's direction and glanced at Hermione for help, but the Voice of Reason remained silent. Standing and going to Ginny's side, Harry placed an arm firmly around her shoulders, saying, "Don't worry, Ginny. You're not going anywhere. Besides, there's an Order meeting in two days here, so you'll see your parents then. You can tell them yourself that you don't need their protection. If they won't listen, we'll back you up, right?" Harry looked expectantly at Hermione, who nodded mutely, and then at Ron, who glared back.

"Right, then," Ron finally gave in, not happy. He had always been protective of his sister, but who was he to challenge his parents' authority?

Ron scribbled a response, trying to tell his parents not to worry, that they were safe, and that they would see them in two days' time. Errol left, happy to have gotten some breakfast in the process.

"Looks like we're stuck here another two days at the very least," Harry muttered, not pleased that they would have to wait.

"But maybe we'll find out something interesting at the meeting," Hermione suggested, trying to lighten the bleak atmosphere. "Besides, we must be allowed to join the Order now. We're all of age, and Dumbledore basically left you in charge, Harry. This is also your house now, so they can't argue against you. Do you think you're the new leader of the Order?"

"Maybe," Harry said hesitantly. In all honestly, Harry had not given the Order much thought. As was nearly always the case with him, he had taken the given task, in this case destroying the Horcruxes and ultimately Voldemort, into his two hands. He knew he could count on his closest friends, but they were the only people in his life right now whom he truly felt were on his side.

With the loss of Dumbledore had come the loss of faith in the Order's abilities. Harry didn't know yet just how much he would still need the Order - or one member of the Order in particular, even though he loathed said member with all he had right now.