AN: This is my very first attempt at fanfiction – and I've had this idea in my head for quite a while now. At this point, I don't have any ideas for pairings, but that may change in the future.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters – they belong to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 1

Silently closing the door behind him, Ron sighed as he made his way through the dark room. Reaching the shelves in the back, he touched a hidden rune, and grinned in anticipation as he opened the nondescript door that appeared. The tiny room hadn't changed since his last visit nearly six months earlier, but Ron didn't bother to look around as he spotted his target: one of his mum's famous blackberry pies kept fresh under a stasis spell.

Ron reverently took the pie off the shelf and removed the stasis charm. Making himself comfortable on the floor, he pulled out his fork and prepared to enjoy. He took a bite, and closed his eyes for a moment in sheer bliss – the house elves at Hogwarts just can't manage to make pie this good!

The outer door flew open, causing Ron to jump and choke on the pie. He coughed briefly, then looked up to see Hermione, hands on her hips, glaring at him from the doorway. He grinned at her. "Hey Hermione," he said sheepishly.

"Ronald Weasley, just what are you doing out of bed?"

"Aw, come on Hermione. I'm sick of being in bed." Ron protested. "Besides, I only came downstairs for a change of view – Mum's kept me practically tied to my bed since I got home. I'm going crazy!"

Hermione relaxed her stance a little, and stepped further into the pantry. "She just wants to make sure you're okay – even the Unspeakables weren't sure what the long-term effects of those brains would have on you. Sneaking off will only make her more worried when she finds out that you're missing."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Honestly, it's not like I went very far. Come on, Hermione, give me a break. Here, close the door and have a piece of pie with me. I promise I'll go back to my room before mum notices I'm gone."

Hermione looked at him skeptically, but shut the door and joined Ron in the back of the pantry. "What is this place? I've never seen it before."

He handed her an extra fork, and grinned. "It's our secret pantry. Mum doesn't know about it. Bill and Charlie made it one summer when they were home from Hogwarts. It's extended wizard space – enchanted so any time mum bakes certain recipes some of it gets pulled into the secret pantry and automatically placed under a stasis spell. Mum thought she was going batty at first when her pies started disappearing, but Charlie convinced her it was a hobgoblin or something."

Hermione looked torn between outraged that the Weasley boys could do something like this, and awed by the work it took to accomplish. "How many people know about it?"

Ron paused in his eating, thinking. "Well, it kind of became a tradition for those who know to tell whoever just finished their second year. Charlie told Percy, who told the twins, who told me. I told Ginny the summer after her first year, though. I hoped it would cheer her up after … you know." Hermione nodded, and they were silent for a few moments, remembering.

Ron continued. "I don't think Dad knows, but you never can tell with him. And I think Ginny told Luna last summer. Now you know, and I think that's it. We haven't gotten a chance to tell Harry yet."

At the mention of Harry, they got quiet again. Ron took a few more bites, while Hermione absently played with her fork. Finally, Hermione broke the silence.

"Do you think he's okay?"

Ron swallowed hard before answering. "Probably not. I mean, Sirius died less than a month ago, and now he's stuck at his relative's house. I've told you how they treat him, and not all of his nightmares are from You-Know-Who."

Hermione couldn't meet his eyes. "And he probably feels guilty for letting us go with him to the ministry and that we got hurt." She sighed. "I just wish we could talk to him."

Ron nodded. "Yeah. He'll be pissed when we see him next."

"Still, Professor Dumbledore said that it's for the best if we don't write him. What with ministry recognizing that You-Know-Who is back and that the Order is reorganizing. We can't risk sending him any owls." Hermione seemed to be trying to convince herself.

Before he could reply, Ron noticed a small light flash in the corner. He motioned for Hermione to stay quiet, and pulled an extendable ear out of his pocket. He whispered, "Someone just entered the kitchen. We have to wait until they leave. Here."

"Ron! We shouldn't eavesdrop! What if it's private?"

"Seriously? Don't you want to know what's going on? Besides, we're not trying to eavesdrop. We're just making sure we know when it's safe to come out. You don't want me to get caught out of bed, do you?"

Hermione hesitated, but then moved closer to Ron as they listened to the conversation in the kitchen.

"… I'm certainly glad that young Mr. Weasley seems to be recovering nicely."

"That's the headmaster!" Hermione hissed, before Ron shushed her.

"Yes, well, the healer said to keep an eye on him, but there doesn't seem to be any lasting effects. I don't know what has gotten into that boy. Invading the ministry! I thought Ron would have more sense. I'd expect that out of the twins before Ronald."

"Now, now, Molly. Mr. Weasley was being a good friend. You know how important it is that Harry develop strong friendships at Hogwarts. Indeed, I couldn't be more pleased with what happened at the ministry."

"I know that, Albus. I just wish that your plans didn't keep putting my children in danger! I probably don't even know how many times Ronald has risked his life, let alone Ginny in her first year. Even the twins have gotten surprisingly attached to that boy – I wouldn't be surprised if they are involved next time something like this happens!"

Professor Dumbledore chuckled, and Ron and Hermione heard him cast several privacy spells. "Must've ignored the pantry," Ron muttered.

Hermione hushed him as Professor Dumbledore began speaking again. "I know how difficult it is for you to have your family on the front lines of this war, and you will certainly be rewarded once it's all over. Now, to business. Have you got the potions?"

They heard Mrs. Weasley move across the kitchen, and the clanking of several glass bottles. "Right here, Albus. I daresay they will do the job, although I don't know why you don't have Severus make them for you. After all, it's summer and he doesn't have a house full of children to watch out for."

"No, Molly, Severus has other duties. Besides, he would never agree to anything that would harm Harry. And he would certainly ask questions if I asked him to brew amortentia."

Mrs. Weasley harrumphed, but continued. "Now, I've labeled the vials, so you can't confuse them. This one's for Harry, and this one's for Ginny. I'll start on Ginny's this summer, and if you bring him to the Burrow this summer I can start dosing him as well. This should be enough for them to get together this year."

"Thank you Molly. I expect we can take Harry to Grimmauld Place a day or so after his birthday. You can bring everyone over there at that time, and begin dosing both of them. I'll make sure they continue to be dosed once they're at Hogwarts."

"Here are the vials for Ronald and Hermione." Hermione squeaked, and clapped a hand over her mouth. Molly continued. "You may not need them, though. They're both already very close, and once Harry starts dating Ginny, I expect them to start dating as well. The only reason to give them the potion would be to ensure that teenage drama doesn't get in the way."

Dumbledore chuckled. "I quite agree. We've come this far, it would be rather ridiculous to be derailed by overactive hormones." He stood. "Well, now that I've gotten what I came for, I had better be heading back to Hogwarts. I still need to find another Defense professor."

"Albus," Mrs. Weasley began uncertainly. "How much longer do you think we have? The twins will be graduating soon, and the only one who's been able to get a job in England is Percy – and that was only by practically denouncing the Weasley name."

"Not long, Molly. Once Harry writes his will leaving everything to Ginny, then we can act. I will guide him through destroying the horcruxes, and then take care of him. Once he's gone, I can destroy Voldemort, and in the ensuing celebrations remove Fudge and put Arthur in his place. Once the head of the Weasley family is in such a position of prominence, and you receive Harry's inheritance, your sons should have no difficulty after they graduate. I can't imagine it taking more than two years until it is all over."

"I hope so. I'll be glad when this is all over."

Dumbledore removed the privacy spells, and Mrs. Weasley asked, "Do you want to talk to Arthur before you leave?"

"No, I really should be getting back. You've been as hospitable as ever, Molly. I'll expect everyone at Grimmauld Place sometime in July."

"We'll be there. Let me walk you to the Floo."

Silence reigned in the darkened pantry, as two pale teenagers stared at each other, each of them wondering, "What do we do now?"