Summary: In his sixth year, Harry faces problems and danger - but his biggest problem is that his two best friends aren't getting on together.
Harry Potter was perplexed. Something was wrong. Ever since he and his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, had returned to Hogwarts for the beginning of their sixth year, both his friends had been acting a little out of character. Everything had been fine during the summer holidays. He and Hermione had both spent the last two weeks of the holidays staying with the Weasleys at their home, The Burrow. It had been good fun, especially since Charlie Weasley, Ron's second-oldest brother, had been home for a visit, full of stories about his work with dragons in Rumania. He was a very broad-shouldered, cheerful young man, his face and arms bronzed from his outdoor life, and with the flaming red hair shared by all the Weasleys. Harry thought that, looking at Charlie, one could see what Ron would be like when he was fully grown up; the two were the tallest of the Weasley brothers, and very alike. Already, at sixteen and a half, Ron was the tallest student in Gryffindor House, and had to remember to duck through a lot of the older, lower doorways on his way around Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione had grown used to looking up when they spoke to him these days, although Harry was only a few inches shorter now.
Yes, the holidays had been fun, but now they had been back at school for a few weeks Harry had become aware that all was not well with his two friends. Ron would fall into fits of unaccustomed gloom, and Hermione was unusually quiet, and spending long periods of time shut up in the girls' dormitory, possibly writing in her diary. And although they were both still perfectly friendly to Harry, neither of his two friends seemed to be as comfortable around each other as they usually were. When he came back from Quidditch practices, Harry was used to finding Hermione and Ron together waiting for him, playing chess in the commonroom or revising in the library, or perhaps collaborating on a new banner or jingle for the Gryffindor supporters to use at the next Quidditch match. But these days, he never did seem to find them together. He might almost have thought they were avoiding each other. If Ron was in the common room, Hermione would be in the owlery, or the library. And vice versa. Harry would have thought they had merely quarrelled - for they had had many quarrels in the past - but Harry knew there had been no big arguments. And they were not scowling or sniping at each other. When they were forced together at meals or in class, they were not hostile, just distant. Harry couldn't work it out.
He had no clue as to what the problem might be until one day when he chatted to Ginny Weasley - Ron's younger sister - after a Gryffindor house Quidditch practice. The practice had gone well. Harry was in his second year as captain now, and he was pleased to see that the new members of the team were getting used to playing together. Five players had remained from last year's team but he had had to select two new Chasers - fifth years Ginny Weasley and Tony Forest. Looking at his team gliding and darting about the pitch, Harry thought he had made a good team selection. After the practice Harry changed out of his Quidditch robes and set off towards the school, thinking about the Potions essay he had to finish for Snape before bedtime. He hadn't gone far before he heard a voice calling behind him. "Hey, Harry, wait!"
Harry turned and saw Ginny jogging to catch up with him. He grinned at her in a friendly way. Ginny had embarrassed Harry horribly in her first two years at Hogwarts by developing a huge crush on him, but now that she was a fifth-year she was far more confident and had grown out of her crush long ago. She and Harry got on well together when they met at school or at the Weasleys' house.
"I think we've got a good chance of beating Ravenclaw, don't you?" said Harry, as they walked on together.
"I hope so," said Ginny. "Gryffindor were unlucky to lose the Cup last year, we need to get it back again. Are you going to Hogsmeade on Saturday?"
"I expect so," replied Harry. "I didn't know it was a Hogsmeade day."
"Yes, the notice only went up just before dinner. I want to go to the new Magical Creatures shop in the village, it's supposed to be brilliant." Ginny was just as fond of animals as her brother Charlie, and was hoping to study veterinary magic when she left school.
Harry wondered what he, Ron and Hermione could do in Hogsmeade. The usual things, he supposed - go to Zonko's Joke Shop, although they were a bit old now for practical jokes, go to the sweet shop, go to the Hog's Head - although it wouldn't be as much fun as usual if Ron and Hermione were still treating each other so distantly. He sighed, looked at Ginny and thought it was worth asking her if she could throw any light on the problem.
"Ginny - you're Ron's sister - do you know if there's anything wrong with Ron lately?"
Ginny looked surprised. "You see more of him than I do at school. Wrong with him? How do you mean?"
"Well - he just seems a bit gloomy lately. Different somehow. But he keeps saying there's nothing wrong. Hermione's been acting strangely lately as well."
To his surprise, Ginny giggled. "Oh, well - I can tell you what *her* problem is," she said.
"What?" asked Harry curiously.
"Charlie," said Ginny, and giggled again.
"Charlie? Your brother Charlie? What do you mean?"
"Hermione's got a crush on him, that's what," said Ginny. "Didn't you notice, when you were staying at our house? She blushed every time he looked at her. Mum and I were talking about it."
"Oh." Harry considered this. "No, I didn't notice." Ginny looked worldly-wise, as if she was thinking, No, but you're just a man! "Well, I suppose that would explain why she's been acting strangely, if she's daydreaming about Charlie. Still doesn't explain what Ron's problem is though."
"Perhaps he knows she likes Charlie and he doesn't like the idea," suggested Ginny.
"Why should he mind?" asked Harry. "I should think he'd think it was quite funny - you know, and be teasing her about it."
Ginny sighed again at the density of the male sex. "Not if he's jealous," she said patiently.
"Jealous?" Harry was confused. "Of Charlie? But Ron doesn't want Hermione to like him that way - they argue all the time." "Well, perhaps I'm wrong then," said Ginny, as they reached the front door and Harry opened it for her. But her tone of voice said, But I don't think I'm wrong. Harry really didn't think she was right. But he mulled the new idea over in his mind as he walked Ginny along the corridors to the Fat Lady's portrait hole. He knew that, underneath their sniping and quarrelling, Ron and Hermione were really very good friends and cared about each other, just as they cared about him, Harry. But it had never occurred to him that Ron might want to have a closer relationship with Hermione. Although Harry could quite understand that if Ron did feel that way, the last thing he would want would be to find out that she had a crush on his admired elder brother.
But, as Harry got out his Potions essay, and worried about his best friends, he did not know that in a few hours' time he would have a much bigger problem to worry about. Sorting out Ron and Hermione would have to take second place behind the danger Harry was about to face this term.
End of part one. I know part one is all talk and introspection, but there will be action and danger in part two - if you review this and tell me you want a part two, that is! Will Harry manage to repair Ron and Hermione's friendship? Does Hermione really yearn for Charlie? Is Ginny right? And what terrible danger is about to befall them all? Shall I continue with part 2?