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Chapter 1

Ron knew he was moping, but he didn't care. It was the summer before his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he was at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. All of his family were staying at the house, apart from his two oldest brothers, Bill and Charlie. Percy, after abandoning his family for the Ministry of Magic last year, was also staying at headquarters, although Ron had barely spoken a word to him. Harry and Hermione, his two best friends, were also staying at headquarters, much to Harry's dismay. Ron knew it was hard for Harry, since headquarters was Sirius's old house, Sirius who had so recently died. Ron knew that Harry was also upset by how much had been kept from him the year before and he knew that Harry was still very angry about the fact. The only person who Harry would talk to was Hermione and Ron was increasingly feeling very left out, no matter how much he told himself that Harry was going through a rough time and needed all the help he could get.

So Ron found himself sprawled out on one of the sofas in the sitting room while the Order meeting was going on in the kitchen. Harry and Hermione were in Hermione's room, Ginny was with the twins at their joke shop and Ron didn't know where Percy was, probably in his room. All was quiet and Ron lay back on the sofa, thinking hard. He had found himself doing this a lot recently and it was only the second week of the summer holidays, there was still five weeks left, including the whole month of August. Harry had been allowed to come to headquarters after only a week at his relatives because he was so depressed about Sirius's death, Ron knew. He had overheard Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape talking about it. Ron had to question the decision though, how wise was it to bring Harry to Sirius's house? Granted Harry seemed to be ok when he was with Hermione, hell, he practically ignored everyone else. He didn't even share a room with Ron anymore. Ron knew that headquarters was one of the safest places for Harry to be, but he still didn't think it was a wise move to bring Harry to Sirius's house so soon after Sirius's death.

Hearing the Order meeting begin to break up, Ron sat up quickly on the sofa and grabbed a book off the table to make it look like he was doing something productive. He sighed when he realised that he'd grabbed the Defence text that Umbridge had set, but he opened it anyway and began to read. He only glanced up briefly when several Order members entered the room with drinks, they'd done this quite a lot recently and they didn't seem to mind his presence. Ron was therefore shocked, when he finished chapter one and glanced up again, to see the entire Order of the Phoenix, who had been to the meeting in the sitting room, talking among themselves. Heck, even Professor Snape was there and he never hung around after meetings. Ron began to feel pretty uncomfortable but he decided that getting up and leaving would draw more attention to himself than staying would. With that in mind he began to plough through chapter two, trying to make sense of the book, which was really very boring. Absorbed in his reading, Ron tried not to listen in on the Order's conversation. He was therefore very surprised when Professor Dumbledore spoke to him.

"Mister Weasley, may I have your opinion on something please?" Professor Dumbledore asked him.

Ron looked up from his book, shocked. "Yes Professor," he answered, wondering what his opinion was wanted on.

"We are discussing security around Hogwarts, Mister Weasley," Professor Dumbledore told him, "and I am wondering what you think about security on Hogsmeade weekends?"

"Erm... well, there doesn't seem to be all that much security at all," Ron said. "Because everyone goes his or her separate way and it's very easy for any witch or wizard to get to Hogsmeade, whether they are good or bad," Ron said truthfully, looking at Professor Dumbledore.

"And do you think, as a student yourself Mister Weasley, that students realise this lack of security?" Professor Dumbledore then asked.

"Some of the older students probably do, especially given the state of things now," Ron answered. "But the younger ones probably don't, in a way they're too innocent and think that no one would dare attack Hogsmeade. I know I did when I was first allowed to go, and that was when Sirius had just escaped from Azkaban and everyone thought he was a mass murderer. And even then I still encouraged Harry to sneak out to Hogsmeade," Ron said, painfully truthful.

"Ronald! Please tell me you done no such thing," Mrs Weasley scolded her youngest son.

Ron fixed his eyes on the floor and whispered, "for what it's worth; I'm sorry." He could feel his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning red; embarrassed at the fact his mother had scolded him in front of several members of the Order of the Phoenix. But he had been pretty stupid, that he knew now. He'd grown up a lot since that fateful night in the Department of Mysteries. He started when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he looked up quickly into Alastor Moody's eyes.

"You're a truthful one, that I can see," moody said. "And nothing bad came out of it that time, just be grateful that you didn't have to learn the lesson the hard way."

"I am, Sir," Ron told him, once again showing how much he had grown up recently.

"And what do you think should be done about Hogsmeade weekends then, Mister Weasley," Professor Dumbledore asked, getting the conversation back on track.

Ron took a deep breath. "It might be best to cancel them," he said, not meeting anyone's gaze in the room. "With the current circumstances, they're too dangerous, even if there was more security. I mean, say the worst did happen and death eaters did attack, how many students are going to be able to protect themselves? I'm going into my sixth year at Hogwarts and I know that while I'd be able to protect myself, I wouldn't be able to protect very well and I'd be worrying about everyone else. But how can you expect a third year to hold their own against a death eater? Plus, people can wander off by themselves at Hogsmeade, there's no rule saying that you have to stick together. And while there are usually people in the centre of Hogsmeade, students don't just stay there; they also wander to the outskirts, especially the Shrieking Shack. I think that it would be fairer to cancel the trips for everybody, because I think that even seventh years would struggle against death eaters and also the dates of the trips are easy to get hold of," Ron spoke from his heart and what he thought was right. He finally allowed himself to meet Professor Dumbledore's gaze and wondered why the man had a slight smile on his face.

"You have grown up a lot, Mister Weasley," Professor Dumbledore commented. "And what you have said is very wise. I think I will take your advice and cancel all Hogsmeade trips, but wont the students miss them?"

"Yes," Ron said bluntly and he received some shocked looks. "But safety has to come first and maybe the prefects and the Head Boy and Head Girl could organise some other activities, ones which everyone could take part in, including first and second years as well."

"You have become very wise, Mister Weasley, this I can see," Professor Dumbledore praised. "Yet I can not help wonder why?"

Ron looked at the floor before answering. "I don't want a repeat of what happened last year. I can't change what happened, but looking back now I can see where I could of handled things differently, so that what happened might not have happened. It's not all my fault, but I can accept my share of the blame. I learnt this lesson the hard way, and paid the ultimate price for it," Ron told him. He felt moody give his shoulder and gentle squeeze and that gave him the courage to look up.

He managed to see that Professor Dumbledore was smiling at him before his mother gathered him into a crushing embrace. "Mother!" he protested, but he hugged her back all the same. He sat on the sofa next to his mother now, and let his father ruffle his hair. It was then he noticed Professor Snape frowning at him and he couldn't help but wonder why.

The meeting didn't last much longer and his mother, of course, invited everyone to stay for dinner. Professor's Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall declined, but Professor Flitwick deemed to stay. Moody, Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt said they'd stay, as did Remus, but Hagrid said that he had to be getting back. Mundungus Fletcher also said he'd stay, much to Molly's displeasure. Soon after, the people who were leaving left, and those staying remained in the sitting room. Ron picked his Defence text up and made to leave the room.

"Weasley," Moody called as Ron made his way to the door.

Ron turned around. "Yes, Sir?"

"I can see why Professor Dumbledore made you a prefect now, and I must say that I think it's a very good choice," Moody told him.

"Thank you, Sir," Ron told him. "But I wasn't like this last year. I've had to grow up a lot recently. I didn't deserve to be prefect last year and I can only hope that I will do a better job next year," Ron said frankly. Moody just nodded at him, so Ron left the room and walked up the stairs. He knocked on Hermione's door and called; "The Order meeting just broke up. Moody, Tonks, Remus, Flitwick, Shacklebolt and Mundungus are downstairs, they're staying for dinner."

"And Dumbledore?" Harry's voice questioned through the door.

"He's already left, as has Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid," Ron told him.

"Ok, thanks," Hermione called.

Ron took the hint to go away and wandered to his own room, where he put his Defence text on his bedside table. With a muttered curse he realised that he'd left his other books in the sitting room. He ran down the stairs and into the sitting room quickly, smiling at Tonks as he collected his books and then he ran back up to his room. He washed his hands face and neck for dinner and then went to the kitchen, where he knew his mum was. His mum didn't look up as he entered the kitchen and Ron set the table without having been asked to. Because he had been a lot more observant recently, since he'd had a lot of time to himself, he'd noticed how much strain the war was placing on his mother, and it was only beginning. He could see that she was constantly worried.

Turning around, Mrs Weasley spotted her son as he finished laying the table. "Thank you Ron," she told him as she turned back to preparing the dinner.

"Do you want any company?" Ron asked. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You really have grown up," Mrs Weasley murmured.

"I've had to," Ron told her.

"I was so proud of you today," Mrs Weasley told him.

"I just told the truth. But please don't go telling everybody about it. I don't think it'd make me too popular if students found out that I'd helped get Hogsmeade trips banned!" Mrs Weasley just laughed at him and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Just don't try to grow up too quick, ok?" she told him.

"I won't mum, but I don't think that I'm going to be given much of a choice in the matter," Ron said with a sigh. "I think that my childhood ended when Harry came back from that maze clutching Cedric's body and telling us that You-Know-Who had come back." Mrs Weasley pulled her son into another hug and although he was taller than her, Ron rested his head on his mother's shoulder and closed his eyes, drinking up the feeling of being safe in his mother's arms. Presently they heard the front door slam and Mrs Black's painting began screeching. "Sounds like Fred, George and Ginny are back," Ron commented lightly.

"It looks that way," Mrs Weasley agreed, turning back to the dinner she was preparing.

"What are we having to eat, anyway?" Ron asked.

"Mince and dumplings with carrots and peas," Mrs Weasley told him with a smile, knowing that it was one of his favourites.

"Mum, you're the best!" Ron told her and impulsively leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," she told him, taking hold of his hand. "Will you please go and tell Harry, Hermione and Percy that dinner is ready?"

Ron left the room to do as he was told and took the stairs two at a time. He went to Percy's room first and got a reply that Percy wasn't hungry. He then went and knocked on Hermione's door and opened it. "My mum said to tell you that dinner is ready," he told them, sticking his head around the door. Both Harry and Hermione were sat on Hermione's bed but they both stood up when he said this. They walked down the stairs together and for a minute it felt to Ron like everything was going to be all right, it felt like it had been when the three of them were still best friends. Ron then noticed that Harry and Hermione's hands were intertwined.

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