Harry was sadly disappointed when it wasn't Ginny who awoke him from his restless sleep on Saturday afternoon, instead finding Ron peering over him in worry. His friend wasted no time in telling him to stay away from Ginny, warning him of the foul mood she had been in all morning. Harry had laughed at his friend, rolling his eyes as he reluctantly emerged from his four poster bed and pulled on his trainers, determined to track her down and find out what was wrong. It was only when even Dean intercepted him in the common room with the same warning that he hesitated, but he didn't stop for long. He knew Ginny could hold a grudge well, but the words of Sirius still rang in his ears, and he was determined to make things right between them.
Consulting the Marauders Map Harry soon found her sitting with Hermione in a quiet courtyard on the east side of the castle, and he hastily made his way down there, trying his best to tune out from the other students around him who now seemed too friendly for his liking. It was unexpectedly warm when Harry emerged outside, a stark contrast to the weather at the Burrow, and Harry wished he had worn a lighter jacket. With the warmth of the sun on his face Harry couldn't help but feel a small glimmer of hope. Surely now after giving that interview, nothing more could be said against him, he had been ridiculously honest after all. Within a few weeks things might even start going back to some kind of normal, and maybe he could focus on Voldemort, and discovering the Horcruxes before he lost the opportunity.
Arriving at the quiet courtyard where Hermione and Ginny sat Harry paused as he looked around the corner, the careful warnings of his friends making him feel as though a Bat Bogey hex was about to come in his direction. His heart sank and he was stunned for a brief moment when he saw Ginny's pale face and red puffy eyes. He had never seen her crying before. It seemed so ridiculous to associate such a thing with his Ginny.
At this thought Hermione looked up and saw him standing there, and she gave him a sympathetic smile before turning back to Ginny, whispering something in her ear. She too looked up at him before turning away and hastily wiping her face, but there was no smile. Slipping his hands into the pocket of his jeans Harry waited patiently, and a few moments later they both arose, still talking quietly. Finishing up Hermione approached Harry with another sympathetic smile while Ginny lagged behind, looking out into the grounds where other students were passing the day.
"Hi," Hermione greeted him warmly, hugging him tightly before he could reply. "I'm so proud of you for giving that interview, it can't have been easy."
"Thanks," he muttered, looking over her shoulder and watching Ginny. "What's going on with Gin? Everyone keeps telling me to leave her alone."
Hermione gave a great sad sigh as she released him, she too glanced over at their friend. "She won't tell me what's wrong, but she's been pretty upset since you left yesterday afternoon."
"Has she told you anything?"
"No," she shook her head. "But I get the feeling it's about the interview."
"Right," Harry replied solidly, not knowing whether to be angry or concerned. "It's okay, I'll talk to her."
"Alright," Hermione agreed uncertainly. "I'll leave you to it then."
Steeling himself as Hermione left Harry headed for Ginny, but she was not pleased to see his approach, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she looked towards the ground. Her mouth twitched into a snarl, but for only a moment. Despite this, Harry wanted to take her in his arms and finally kiss her again, but Ron's warning still rang through his head. "Gin? Why are you so upset?"
There was a long pause where she didn't say anything, and Harry was forced to wait awkwardly, stopping himself from continuing. "I'm sorry, Harry," she replied, her voice tight with emotion. She still didn't look up. "I just…I just can't talk to you right now. I want some space." Turning on her heel Ginny marched away, clutching her jacket around her despite the warmth.
"No," Harry stated as he watched her leave. He marched after her, grabbing her shoulder for a moment before stopping right in front of her, forcing her to look up at him. "No, I've been patient, Gin, I've given you space, you've had all damn week to figure out what the problem is."
She looked at him hard for a moment, her red eyes searching his face and finding the sincerity behind his words. "You won't understand."
"You haven't given me the chance."
Shaking her head she pushed past him, angering him even more. "Don't just walk away from me, tell me what the problem is!" he demanded, taking her arm and facing her again.
"Leave me alone," she hissed, pulling her arm from his grasp before walking away again. "I don't want to-"
"Is it about the interview?" he asked, finally satisfied as she slowed to a stop. She was hastily wiping away more tears before she finally turned back around.
"No! It's not about the bloody interview!"
"Then what?" he demanded, ignoring the few students who were passing by on the other side of the courtyard. "What have I done to you that is so damn awful?"
"I can't trust you anymore, Harry!"
Harry stopped dead in his tracks, feeling as though he were physically winded. He stared at her incredulously for a long moment as her words started to make sense. "You think I'm cheating on you?"
"That's not what-"
"I've got enough problems with you!" he cut across her savagely, not caring if he upset her even more. "Why would I want another girl?"
"I never said you were cheating."
"Then why don't you trust me? What have I done?"
"It's all the lies, Harry!" she declared loudly, gaining the interest of a few other students passing by, who hurried on despite their nosiness. "Whenever you tell me something I can't tell if it's true or not! I'm sick of it!"
"You're full of shit, Ginny, I've never lied to you!" he claimed defensively. "Anything you wanted to know about Voldemort, I've told you! I've told you everything I remember about what happened to me, what else is there?"
Looking around for a brief moment, Ginny faced him confidently. "I know what you did with that necklace."
Horror rose up within him at this revelation, and he was certain it was displayed across his face, but Ginny didn't soften. He was gobsmacked for a long moment where she glared at him almost triumphantly, until he remembered that the Aurors would be close by. Moving towards her as though to clap his hand across her mouth, he hissed furiously, "Would you shut up? They'll hear you!"
"You told me you'd get rid of it! You promised me!"
"I did get rid of it!" he hissed, wishing she would lower her voice.
"But did you have to do it the way you did?" she demanded, before finally lowering her voice then shoving him away. "Did you have to go into the bloody Chamber of Secrets to do it?"
"Who told you?" Harry demanded, ignoring her question.
Ginny paused for a moment, trying to decide what to say. "I saw the Polyjuice in Hermione's trunk, she had to tell me. I just want to know why I had to find out from her, not you!"
All thoughts of reconciliation were gone from Harry's head, replaced by nothing other than blind anger. He didn't care what he said to her, but he wouldn't let her bully him into submission. "Because what I do when you're not around, is my business! It's got nothing to do with you! I don't need you following me around telling me whether or not you approve of what I'm doing!"
"Admit it, you lied to me!"
"Just because I chose not to tell you something, doesn't mean you can call me a liar!"
With her hands on her hips Ginny was breathless with anger, her eyes blazing with fury. "You are a liar," she accused. "I know what Percy did."
Harry words were caught in his throat, this revelation rendering him speechless as she turned and walked away, trying to leave the courtyard as quickly as she could. His stomach turned uncomfortably as he thought of Percy's betrayal and what it had meant for him, for his friends, and was horrified to discover that Ginny knew about it too. Before he even gave thought to whether Ginny wanted some space or not, Harry was chasing after her, desperate to hear the entire story.
"Wait," he yelled out after her, grabbing her arm from behind and skidding to a stop. "Would you just stop! Who told you?" he demanded, holding onto her firmly as she tried to wrench her arm from his grip.
"Let me go!"
"Who told you about that?"
It was like something inside of her froze, and she stopped fighting. "It doesn't matter who told me, I wanted to hear it from you! That's my family, you had no right to keep something like this from me, I don't care who you are!"
"So you think I kept these things from you, because I'm Harry Potter? Because it makes me feel special? You're so full of it!"
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"I promised your Dad," Harry lied flawlessly.
"I don't care, I deserved to know!" she yelled, suddenly wrenching her arm from his grasp again. "Everything that happened to us is his fault! He caused all of this, don't you understand how much this hurts?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then why didn't you tell me? I've waited and waited for you to tell me, for you to explain why all of this happened to us, but you just kept lying!"
"Wait, let me get this straight. You're blaming Percy for this?" Harry questioned incredulously, not knowing what else he could say.
"Who else can I blame, Harry?"
Harry laughed, uncomfortably aware that more and more students were passing them by, giving them curious looks before hurrying along. "Blame Voldemort!" he yelled loudly. "He did this to us, Ginny, not your brother!"
"Well he certainly helped, didn't he," she stated lowly. "He told Voldemort where we were, how to get to us. Or do you not consider that to be helping?" Turning on her heel she began to march away.
"Do you even know the whole story?" Harry yelled out in anger, moving to follow her again.
"Go away, Harry, I've had enough! I'm not talking about this anymore."
"No!' he said, following her despite himself. He grabbed her arm again, the only way he could make her stay. "Stay here and talk to me, please."
"I said leave me alone!"
"No," he repeated, still holding her arm. "Percy's not the problem, so tell me what really is."
In a moment of desperation she reached her free hand up and lunged for one of the painful wounds on his shoulder, trying to loosen his grip. He caught her hand and pushed it away, holding onto it firmly so she couldn't try to hurt him again. "Tell me what the problem is," he nearly growled.
Ginny faltered for a moment before tears spilled from her eyes again, and he nearly released her, wanting to pull her to his chest and hold onto her for dear life.
"You're the problem!" she shouted suddenly, wrenching both of her arms from his grip yet again. "For the love of Merlin, look at yourself! I don't even recognise you anymore!"
"I'm the problem?" he laughed sarcastically.
"Yes."
"I haven't done anything wrong! God, where the hell is this all coming from?"
"It's not your fault, Harry, I understand why," she continued, stepping back from him before he grabbed her again. "But ever since you've come back from that place, you've changed! There are times when the Harry I knew is completely gone, and I don't even know who I'm talking to!"
"That's a load of shit, Ginny, I'm fine! You've got no idea what you're talking about!"
"How could you possibly be fine? After what you've been through its incredible you can even get up each day, but you have changed!" She took a deep breath as she stepped away from him again, hastily wiping away the tears on her cheeks. Her voice was softer now, but her dark brown eyes that were so familiar to him only held sadness. "I love you, Harry, I really do, and I know this is selfish of me, but I need you back. I need you back the way you were before this all happened!"
Harry didn't say anything for a long moment. He was almost breathless, feeling as though she had literally kicked him in the stomach, and he wanted to scream with the frustration of it all. "That's not fair," he said lowly, his hands shaking. "You've got not right to throw that in my face."
Turning away from her in disgust he marched from the courtyard, brushing past the few students who were brave enough to watch on, and he could hear Ginny swearing loudly from behind him. His hands felt as though they were about to combust from the need to throw something, to break anything so he could to feel some kind of relief. He settled for wringing them tightly through his hair as he walked with his eyes low to the ground, his feet unconsciously leading him towards one of the shortcuts where he was certain to find privacy. It took forever to reach the tapestry that he then slipped behind, giving a great sigh of relief when the dark corridor on the other side was empty.
Breathing out unsteadily, Harry shoved his trembling hands deep into his jean pockets as he tried to sort out the jumble of words that were racing through his head. His knees felt as though they were about to give out beneath him, and he reluctantly sat down and leant against the wall, biting down hard on his knuckle until he tasted blood. The deserted corridor was his sanctuary for the next half hour, and he eventually stood up and began pacing back and forth, cooling down his temper before he was willing to emerge, intent of finding Ron and Hermione. He had yet to tell them of Mr Weasley's warnings, or Sirius' accidental revelation about Hufflepuff's golden goblet, and he needed to distract himself from Ginny before he actually exploded with anger.
Walking through the corridors back to Gryffindor tower, Harry reasoned with himself. Ginny too, would cool down with time. She would almost certainly be apologising by this time tomorrow. He was certain of it.
Ginny still wasn't talking to him.
Monday was progressing terribly, and Harry was seriously considering not attending his afternoon classes, despite the warnings of Mr Weasley. Ditching Transfiguration sounded more and more appealing the closer the time came to the end of lunch. His tired eyes were blinking rapidly, forcing themselves to remain open as he chewed his sandwich half heartedly, loosening his tie as he sat up straight and glanced around the Great Hall, looking for a particular someone.
"We passed her on the way in," Ron supplied helpfully as he noticed what his friend was doing.
Looking back down at his plate Harry didn't reply, secretly marvelling at the accomplishment it was that Ron could speak without his mouth full.
"Stop chewing on your nails," he continued, elbowing Harry's hand from his teeth. "And if you're not going to at least enjoy that sandwich you can give it here."
"Here, have it," he replied, discarding his sandwich onto Ron's plate as he glanced at his fingernails, kicking himself for falling back on an old habit. The last time he remembered biting his nails, he lived in a cupboard.
"Oh, what? Are you sure mate? Because I was just teasing."
"You can have it."
"Really? You look like you need it more than I do," Ron admitted, patting his stomach affectionately.
"You can have it, Ron," Harry said, more sharply than he intended.
Considering him cautiously for a moment, Ron hesitated before picking up the remaining sandwich and taking a bite when Harry made no further comment. Harry wasn't even paying attention anymore, unconsciously scratching at the inside of his scarred wrist. Another bad habit.
"You know, uh….Ginny says a lot of things, she doesn't always mean a lot of it," Ron commented cautiously, thinking back to the horrendous fight that had occurred on the weekend. "She'll get over it."
"Yeah? Well when she does can you send me an owl?" Harry replied bitterly.
Ron sighed loudly, looking around the nearly empty Great Hall. "C'mon, the bell rang ages ago."
With great reluctance Harry picked up his school bag and draped it over his shoulder, rising from the table and following Ron out of the Great Hall.
"Hey, do you wanna ditch Transfiguration?" Ron suggested as they ascended the staircase. "We'd cop hell from McGonagall, but it would be worth it. We could go to the pitch, maybe hit a Bludger around for a while."
About to agree enthusiastically, Harry saw one of the Aurors appear out of the corner of his eye. He looked at them as they tapped their wrist watch, indicating that they were late for class. "Nah," he conceded sourly. "We've got baby-sitters at the moment."
Seeing what he meant Ron's ears blushed red and they sped up their pace, only passing other students equally late for their own classes. They reached Transfiguration just in time, joining the back of the queue as the other students entered the classroom, noisily finding seats with their friends as McGonagall clapped her hands for attention from the front of the room. Seeing Hermione at the back of the classroom they made their way over to her, taking their seats and removing their completed homework from the last class.
"Sorry I missed lunch, guys," Hermione apologised. "I was-"
"In the library," Harry and Ron replied simultaneously.
She didn't even bother to glare. "Actually, I was with Ginny. She's still pretty upset."
"Good for her," Harry replied nonchalantly.
"Do you even want to hear what she had to say?"
"Unless she's figured out what her problem is," Harry answered. "I don't really care."
Hermione glared at him furiously, before softening at the last moment. "What did you do to her, Harry? She still won't tell me."
"I didn't do anything," he denied.
"Well whatever you did has upset her big time. Harry, I want to help, you know what you're like when it comes to these things. Tell me what's wrong with her."
"There's nothing wrong with her, she's just full of shit," Harry hissed.
"Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class, Mr Potter?" McGonagall asked sharply, standing before them with a large stack of text books levitated beside her.
"Not really, Professor," Harry replied honestly.
"Then I'll trust you to keep it to yourself for the remainder of our lesson." A book was magically thrust at each of them as she walked away and continued handing out of the books, speaking to various students in turn. When she finished she stood before the class and considered them all for a moment. "Please place your completed homework at the edge of your desk."
There was a soft shuffle as the students complied, and Harry was relieved that he always managed to have his homework completed on time. The only perk of his mostly sleepless nights. With a wave of her wand the completed homework soared towards McGonagall's outstretched arms, and she bundled them into a neat pile on her desk before she turned to the blackboard to begin her lecture.
Harry didn't even hear the first of her long stream of questions, crossing his fingers that he wasn't called upon to answer. Placing his elbow on the desk Harry rested his forehead in his hand as he idly began to take some notes on McGonagall's lecture, his mind fading into the familiar pattern of replaying moments over and over. The fierce words he and Ginny had exchanged on Saturday were still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't find the moment that things had gone so horribly wrong for them, the moment they both refused to back down.
He felt truly bitter on the inside as he thought of all the things Ginny had said to him, her words still ringing clearly. There was no point denying that things had changed between them since his abduction, but he didn't deserve the blame she laid upon him. Staring dejectedly at his notes, Harry knew he shouldn't have shown her his injuries, certain that it would change things between them the way it had with Sirius, and he had been correct. Ever since that morning behind the greenhouses, nothing had been the same. It was like she looked at him differently, no matter what he was doing.
Glancing beside him at his friends, Harry was glad to see that Hermione was taking far better notes that his own, and he hoped maybe she'd allow him to use hers when McGonagall gave them more homework. Looking at the wistful expression on Ron's face Harry knew he would rather be ditching the lesson, preferring to be out on the Quidditch pitch hitting a bludger around, and he agreed wholeheartedly.
Much like the day had, their lesson dragged on for what felt like eternity, and his thoughts were soon far from McGonagall's lesson, and he began wondering where Percy was, curious as to what he was doing. Harry had often wondered if he had eventually been allowed to return to work at the ministry, keeping up the façade of innocence for the Auror department. He also wondered if he would get caught up in the chaos of a ministry take over, were it to happen as Mr Weasley described. Scoffing to himself quietly, Harry knew that Percy didn't deserve his worry. Despite how much Percy was blackmailed, Ginny was right. He had been the root cause of everything that happened, and was one of the last people who deserved Harry's concern.
Ever since Saturday, it had been a constant question in Harry's mind as to who had told Ginny about what Percy had done to them. The only time he had been at Grimmauld Place during the summer, Ginny had been under the careful supervision of Mrs Weasley, who also seemed oblivious to her sons betrayal, so Harry had to wonder if Mr Weasley had told her. He quickly dismissed that idea. If Mr Weasley had chosen to divulge that secret to Ginny, he would have told Ron also, and his friend had given no such indication that he knew.
A quiet flurry flowed through the classroom, and Harry looked up to see his classmates taking out fresh parchment as McGonagall instructed, taking down the lengthy notes she had put up on the blackboard. His hand ached as he gripped his quill tightly and began to write, his knuckles bruised and split from where he had furiously bitten down on them two days ago, in an effort not to punch a stone wall. His hand never faltered as he wrote, and he was watching from the corner of his eye as Professor McGonagall leisurely strolled amongst the desk, peering at the students work and ushering a few to hurry. As his friends were concentrating Harry looked around the classroom, seeing Malfoy sitting beside Goyle at the front of the room, as far away from Harry as he could be.
Harry stifled a gasp as Ron sharply elbowed him in the ribs, knocking over the ink pot that the three of them shared. Pain seared through his back as the thick ink spread across the desk and onto the ground. "What?" he hissed angrily, his left hand dripping with ink.
"Stop scratching your knuckles," Ron hissed back as Hermione waved her wand and cleaned up the mess, turning back to her work without a second thought. 'Haven't you done enough damage?"
Swearing quietly, Harry looked down at his knuckles which were now bleeding, blood was caked underneath his fingernails, and he hastily removed the blood as Professor McGonagall strode their way, having seen the disturbance in her silent classroom. She peered at them suspiciously before seeing Seamus send a scribbled note soaring across the classroom towards Hannah Abbot, and her attention was diverted.
"Stop looking at Malfoy," Ron muttered, turning back to his work.
"Shut up, Ron, I wasn't."
"I'm just trying to help you, mate."
"Well stop it."
The remainder of their lesson continued in silence, and Harry felt only the sting of regret for the harsh words he had said to Ron, but there was little he could do for the moment. The bell finally rang to signal the end of class, and as he looked over the work he had been doing, it was as though he were reading it for the first time. He had clearly paid little attention. There was the routine sound of scraping chairs as McGonagall dismissed them from her class, and Harry quickly repacked his bag and swung it over his shoulder, keen to leave as soon as he could. He had the sinking feeling that McGonagall wanted to see him, and he was correct.
"Potter," she called out. "Stay behind please."
There was no way to pretend had hadn't heard her, having automatically looked up as he heard his name. Nodding politely he gave a small sigh, Ron and Hermione looking at him sympathetically.
"I have to go," Hermione apologised. "See you guys later," she finished as she caught up with Padma Patil, both of them on their way to Arithmency.
"I'll wait outside," Ron promised loyally as he began to follow his classmates out the door, knowing that they both had free periods. Harry nodded as he slipped his hands into his pockets, moving past the remainder of his classmates who smiled at him cheerfully, but he paid little attention to them, looking around for Malfoy who must have already left.
"Thank you for waiting," Professor McGonagall said as she approached him, the textbooks that had been on their desks were soaring back to their shelves where they neatly stacked themselves. She pointed her wand towards the small desk she kept at the front of the classroom, transfiguring an extra chair for him. "Please, take a seat."
Dropping his bag on the ground Harry complied, watching as she too did the same before shuffling through the array of scrolls on her desk, finding one that he recognised as the work he had handed in.
"You've done quite well on this assessment, Potter, your work is quite fine," she commented approvingly as she looked over the scroll. "It looks as though it took quite a bit of time, and I see here that you have listed four different library books as the references you used. That's quite a bit of research for a relatively small homework assignment."
"Hermione's influence, I suppose," Harry replied nonchalantly, not understanding why she appeared concerned by quality homework.
"What concerns me, Potter," she continued, looking at him sternly over her glasses. "Is that if you were to pay attention in my class for once, perhaps you wouldn't have to go to such great lengths of research to complete your homework. You would find that you would have all the information you need right there in your notes. That is, if you bothered to routinely attend my classes at all. Have I made myself quite clear?"
"Yes, Professor. Quite."
"Remain seated, please," she added as he began to stand, his school bag in hand. "That is not all."
Holding back a sigh Harry slumped back into his seat, watching her intently. Like so many of those around him, Dumbledore's death appeared to have aged her dramatically, or perhaps it was the stresses of running an entire school and still having to teach classes. Whatever it was, it wasn't treating her well. Even the tight bun she wore in her hair seemed to have lost its lustre.
"It has been brought to my attention that you are now aware of the impending ministry takeover, and what it means. I bring this up, because I would like to ask if there is anything that hasn't been explained properly, is there anything you are unsure of?"
Faltering for a moment Harry scrambled through the jumble in his head, knowing there was a vast array of questions he and his friends had been unable to answer, but he couldn't bring them forth to his mind. "No, everything has been explained to me."
"Do you understand that no where will be safe for you, that you would have to leave Hogwarts at a moment's notice?"
"Yes."
McGonagall nodded in satisfaction. "Have you been carrying you invisibility cloak with you at all times?"
"Yes."
"Have you exercised greater caution when leaving Gryffindor tower?"
"Yes."
"Are you ensuring that you are always back by curfew?"
"Yes."
"Would you like a Ginger Snap?"
"Ye-I mean, err…pardon?"
"Would you like a Ginger Snap?" she repeated, brandishing a tartan covered biscuit tin at him.
"No, thank you."
She raised her thin eyebrows at him, edging the tin closer and closer. "Have one."
With a strange sense of déja vu, Harry took a biscuit from the offered tin, frowning at her as she waited for him to begin eating. "Thank you."
"That's quite alright, Potter," she replied as she replaced the lid and put the tin aside. "Now, the Order of the Phoenix is currently devising the plan to ensure your escape, were the ministry to fall in the next few weeks. There are still some finer details being worked out, but for now all you will need to do is follow the instructions of the Aurors who are on duty to protect you. If you listen to them and do as they say, there is no reason that you shouldn't escape before Death Eaters even come close to Hogwarts."
"Well, what about…Ginny?" Harry asked, almost struggling to say her name. "What about Ron and Hermione?"
"They will be quite well looked after, I promise you. Assuming that they are with you at the time, the four of you would make your escape together, though even if they are not by your side, they will be found and suitably helped."
Frowning slightly, Harry couldn't help but feel his friends were a low priority to Professor McGonagall, and already he didn't trust that they would be saved if the castle were under attack. "What about everyone else?" he asked. "What about the muggle borns? Voldemort will go straight for them."
McGonagall relaxed back into her seat, having seen this question before he even asked it. "While I understand how concerned you are for your friends, you must trust that the Order will look after them, even in the presence of Death Eaters. You will not need to worry, Harry."
Taking note of the use of his first name, Harry couldn't help but feel even more distrusting. It almost sounded as though something Dumbledore would say to make him stop asking questions. "Is that all, Professor?"
"Yes," she said dismissively, allowing him to stand up and leave.
Without hesitation Harry slung his bag over his shoulder and began walking down the centre aisle of desks, pulling an awful face as McGonagall stopped him one last time. Turning on the spot his face was one of forced politeness, waiting as she rounded her desk and approached him, her face full of concern.
"Potter, I know that the last few months have been exceptionally difficult for you, what with your classes, the newspapers, and Miss Weasley."
"Yeah?"
"Well," she continued, looking as uncomfortable as Harry felt. "In these difficult times, you know where to find my office at any time of the day. The same with Professor Tonks."
"Right, thanks."
Forcing himself not to bolt from the classroom, he threw open the door and almost tripped over Ron who waited patiently in the corridor outside.
"Geez, hold up there mate!" Ron exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet, darting around to pick up the box of Chocolate Frogs he had dropped. "What happened in there?"
"Nothing," he replied as too scrambled around to catch the leaping frogs. "She was just talking about….the current situation."
All too aware of the other students around them, Ron kept his mouth shut until they reached the grounds, walking down to the Quidditch shed to retrieve the Bludger and Beaters bats. "So what did she get you all worked up about?"
"I dunno," Harry replied uncomfortably, watching as Ron stunned the bludger before tucking it under his arm. Together they walked side by side down to the Quidditch pitch, their broomsticks slung over their shoulders, swinging their Beaters bats leisurely. "She was just talking about how we're going to get out, when something does happen. She reckons the Aurors will tell us what to do."
"So what's wrong with that?"
Harry shrugged, not sure whether he wanted to share his worries aloud. More than once over the years his friends had accused him of being overly paranoid.
"Harry, if you're worried, don't be," Ron said with confidence. "You've gotta trust these Aurors to protect you. You're their number one priority."
"Yeah, I know," Harry replied with a sinking heart, stopping dead in his tracks. Saying it out loud would surely make the possibility worse. "That's what's got me so worried. What about you? What about the girls?"
It was Ron's turn to shrug, but he looked a little worried at Harry's last remark. "Don't worry, they'll come and get us."
"Yeah, that's what McGonagall said, but I get the feeling their not concerned about you guys in the slightest."
