Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

Original A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter One Hundred Fifty

Time Passes

A lot of things seem to happen in the next month. Harry, Hermione and Ron continued to look for the Horcrux in the Room of Requirement with no progress, well other than searching one small corner of the huge room. Ron had made a comment about only needing a hundred more years to search the rest of the room at the pace they were going. The comment seemed to have rubbed Hermione the wrong way, seeing as it was the search pattern that she had chosen. Usually Harry found the bickering that followed to be annoying, but that time it seemed to be almost a relief. The two had been so strung up lately that they hadn't enjoyed a good squabble in months … it actually had been nice to hear them squabble.

Luckily the DA lessons had been going much better than Harry's search for the Horcrux. Harry was very proud of his DA as he could see a lot of improvement in the spellmenship of those that participated. Not only had everyone picked up the basic spells, improving their skill that they had coming into the lesson, they had also proceeded into the more advance spells. The most impressive of which was learning to cast a patronus. Almost everyone in the group was now able to create a corporal patronus with only a few only producing the mist. Harry had even brought in a boggart so that it could impersonate a Dementor, just as Remus had done when he was learning the charm. It had worked in some ways, as for a few minutes everyone was engulfed in the power of the Dementor as Angelina had tried to produce a patronus. However before she could the boggart started to change into all sorts of different and conflicting monsters or otherwise scary images. He considered retrying this lesson in smaller groups but so far he hadn't had time to organize it.

It was harder to think about organizing that as they moved to new things. Harry decided that it might be useful to use the maze that he had used to practice for the third task, making a sort of obstacle course to test peoples' reactions. He spent most of this time after the first lesson with the course trying to think of ways to make it more effective.

Harry's schoolwork took a hit as the months progressed as he didn't feel very compelled to focus on such things now. Of course he still did his homework and tried in class but his heart wasn't really in the work he was doing. Worst of all was studying for the O.W.L's which were coming upon them quickly. He didn't really want to waste what time he had left on studying for a test that he wouldn't really need. He was a little surprised that Hermione hadn't tried to bully him into study more than he did (which he only did when all of his friends were studying and he had nothing better to do), but he was grateful that she didn't.

Harry had found talking to McGonagall about his Career option to be particularly hard. He had told his professor that he wanted to be an Auror, just like Sirius was and then hardly listened as she told him what classes he needed. She also informed him that his work was slipping a little lately and that he would need to concentrate on his work more, especially Potions as he would need an Outstanding to continue in that class. Harry had thanked her as he tried to ignore the concern look she had for him as he left the room. He knew he wasn't hiding his feelings very well, but it was only in this meeting that he realized that he was never going to be an Auror. He had wanted to be one for as long as he could remember, as he loved hearing Sirius's tales about his job.

As soon as he got back to the common room Harry felt better, as Ron and Hermione were waiting there for him with some butterbeer. They had known or had guessed his reaction to this meeting would be bad and so were silently trying to show their support for him. Of course, it didn't change the truth that he was never going to be an Auror, but the fact that his friends knew him so well and weren't trying force him to talk about it, made Harry appreciate his friends more and more. He had spent the rest of the day talking with them, not about anything important, just enjoying his time.

"Hey Harry," Ginny said later that evening, sitting down next to him on the couch.

"Hey," Harry smiled at her and then frowned noticing she looked upset. "Is something wrong?"

"No," she answered stiffly, her eyes moving to were Dean was sitting with Seamus, he was looking rather annoyed himself.

"Really, you could have fooled me," Harry said.

"So how are things with you and Susan?" Ginny asked annoyance in her voice as she tried to change the subject.

Harry wondered if any of her annoyance was due to jealousy, and wondered if she still might have feelings for him. He shook that thought from his mind; it did him no good to think about that now as he could never have a relationship with her. Besides, it was clear that her annoyance was coming from him asking about her own relationship.

"Good I guess," Harry said, now thinking about his actual girlfriend. He'd had a good time the last weekend when they had gone to Hogsmeade, both when they were alone and when they were among their friends.

"You guess," Ginny asked raising her eyebrow. "Do I sense that something is wrong?"

Harry frowned at her, "not from my end."

"So you think she might have a problem with you?" Ginny asked.

"I didn't say that," Harry said uncomfortably. He had been having a good time talking, among various activities, with Susan. At times he was able to forget completely about all the crap in his life and just have fun. Lately though, he thought he felt that Susan was pulling away from him and he had been too afraid to ask her why. Afraid that he knew the answer and it was something that he couldn't do.

"I see," Ginny said, looking at his expression more than what he was saying. She frowned, looking even more annoyed than she was before. "Why do guys think it's better to keep things a secret?"

"I can't answer for all guys," Harry said, "but I have a lot of secrets that I can't share."

"I suppose you do," Ginny said thinking about the number of his secrets she knew and wondered how many more she hadn't heard from him.

"So is that your problem? Is Dean keeping something from you?" Harry asked and Ginny grimaced at him. "Look I'm not trying to pry … okay, maybe I am trying to pry," he admitted when she raised her eyebrow at him. "It's just … maybe I can give you some help figuring out the male psyche."

Ginny's eyes twinkled in amusement though the rest of her expression was still set in a frown. "I'm sure that would be so helpful," she said sarcastically.

"Maybe, maybe not," Harry shrugged. "But I'm your friend and I'm willing to help. How is it going to hurt to talk to me?"

"Hmm," Ginny said frowning, her amusement gone replaced by sadness that Harry couldn't understand. "I guess that's true. It's not like he keeps secrets, I'm sure there are things that he hasn't told me, but the same is true for me. I don't really care about that."

"So what's the problem?" Harry asked her.

"It's the little things," Ginny said. "He's always opening doors for me and helping me up steps … or trying to help me. As if I can't walk by myself!" Harry laughed at her problem and she turned to glare at him murderously. "This isn't funny!"

"No … I suppose not from your point of view it isn't," Harry said. "It's just … I doubt he thinks you can't walk. Dean might not be the smartest wizard here, but he's must have noticed that."

"Fine, okay he knows I can walk, I just don't see why he think I need him to open everything … it's just so condescending," Ginny complained.

"Not really … I image he's just acting like how he's was raised," Harry said.

"Raised? You mean Muggle man do that? Open doors for girls and stuff like that?" Ginny said as if that was the oddest thing she had ever heard.

"Yes … well I mean it is thought to be polite to do such things," Harry said. "I'd think Dean, because of his mum and sisters, probably grew up with a healthy respect for girls."

"Hm …" Ginny frowned. "I never thought of it like that before. To me it remains me too much of my idiot brothers. They all say they think I can handle myself, and then they all go completely overprotective whenever something happens. It's bloody annoying."

"I bet," Harry chuckled.

"As if you're not just as bad," Ginny grumbled.

"It must be a male thing," Harry said sympathetically as he tried not to smile.

"Undoubtedly," Ginny said. "Thanks Harry. I'm not saying that this is actually going to help, but I guess it's good thing that I understand the reason why Dean does those things."

"No problem," Harry said sadly, his stomach twisting as he actually helped Ginny's relationship with another guy.

O

The next night Ron was walking to the library, having just finished his Quidditch practice; it had become his routine to go and pick up Hermione after he had practice and usually he was left alone. Tonight though, before he even got halfway to the library he found someone in the corridor that he didn't want to see.

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked harshly to his third oldest brother. For the most part Ron had avoided his brother since Percy was made the High Inquisitor, something that Percy seemed to be doing to all of his siblings. At least until now.

"That is none of your business," Percy said hotly, his ears starting to turn red as he turned back to his parchment and scribbled something down.

"What are you inspecting now … the walls?" Ron asked his brother incredulously.

"If you must know, I'm inspecting the portraits," Percy said, the pompous tone in his voice the same one Ron remembered hearing all his life. That tone had always annoyed him, but now it almost hurt to hear it. "I remember quite a few of them where fond of saying rather rude remarks ..."

"And what are you going to do if they do say rude shite, chuck them in the bin?" Ron asked, glaring at Percy. "What happened to you … you used to love Hogwarts as much as the rest of us."

"That is why I'm doing this, I'm trying to make Hogwarts the best place it can be," Percy said even more pompous than before.

"By removing the portraits and chucking the professors," Ron said.

"Some of them, yes," Percy said. "Surely you see that it's better to have competent teachers so that you actually learn a subject."

"So what do you call Umbridge going after Sirius?" Ron asked.

"An error in judgment," Percy said, "which is why she was removed from this position. I will not make the same mistake. But there are things that should be changed here …"

"Why, so that everything fun and cool will be sucked out of this place?" Ron asked. "You know Hogwarts is more than just a school. It's where we all grow up and learn who we are."

"That doesn't sound like you?" Percy frowned.

"I might have been talking with Hermione about his ..." Ron started to explained and then shook his head. "That's beside the point."

"Do you have a point?" Percy asked.

"No, I guess not … it's not like you're even listening to me," Ron said. "You've already chosen the Ministry over your family."

"No I haven't," Percy said his tone harsh as his expression hardened and he glared at Ron. "You lot are the ones that turned your backs on me."

"What?!" Ron asked astounded.

"Just because I got a job …"

"That you didn't deserve," Ron snapped and his brother's face turned red as he glared intensified.

"I'll have you know that I made an excellent junior assistant to the Minister," Percy said stiffly. "And I'm doing just as good as the High Inquisitor."

"Of course you are," Ron rolled his eyes. "I never had any doubt that you could do the job. You'd bloody work your arse off … of course you could do the job." Percy just stared at Ron in shock. "Still, even you know that no one your age has ever gotten a job like this."

"No, but I'm qualified," Percy tried to argue but found it harder after what Ron had just said.

"Didn't I just agree with that," Ron rolled his eyes. "You had to know that there was a reason you were being offered this job, but you took it anyways."

"Yes," Percy said with a sigh. "But what else could I have done? It's not every day that a Weasley is offered an opportunity like this. If I passed on this job I might never have gotten another chance."

Ron shook his head. "Maybe, but what about doing the right thing … not the right thing for your career?"

"I don't see how accepting this job questions what the right thing is," Percy said hotly.

"No, you wouldn't," Ron said.

"It's the Ministry, Ron, it's not like I joined the Death Eaters," Percy snapped.

"No, it's not that bad," Ron said. "The Ministry is just filled with too many people that would rather stick their head in the sand than realize what's going on."

"So that's how you see me?" Percy said.

"As long as you have your head up Fudge's arse … yeah," Ron said. "Do you think You-Know-Who is back or not?" he asked after he saw the hurt expression on Percy's face.

Percy looked at his brother for a long time as he thought. He had never really thought about it, the other issues that he was faced with seemed more important. Like his family thinking he was an opportunistic idiot and the fact that he had been accepted by the Minister and other high officials as he always wanted. Percy didn't really think about the broader events that were going on, but he had put faith in the fact that the Minister wouldn't put the safety of the people in harm's way to ignore the truth. He had also thought that his family had thought him incapable of handling his job, and Ron had just said that wasn't the case. Maybe Ron was right, and he was burying his head in the sand. Not because he was afraid of the truth but because he was too angry at the way his family had reacted to him.

"Whatever Percy," Ron said after a long pause in the conversation, taking Percy's silence as him not believing Voldemort was back. "I've got to get to the library."

Percy watched as his brother walked away, clearly disappointed in him. Percy was starting to wonder if he deserved that disappointment.