HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Created by J.K. Rowling, Anticipated For Impatient Readers by Chrissy

Disclaimer: Harry and all of his friends belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., etc., and not me. Obviously I don't know what the Order of the Phoenix is in her mind; this is merely my interpretation. No money is being made off of this story, and no copyright infringement is intended.

*

CHAPTER FIVE: THE NEW ARRIVAL

The next morning, the sun seemed to shine just a little bit brighter. When Harry stumbled down the stairs, considerably later than he usually did, he found Mrs. Weasley sitting at the table, sipping ice tea with two girls. He recognized the back of Ginny's head immediately, but it wasn't until the other girl turned around that Harry realized her identity.

"Harry!"

"Hermione?" Harry gasped. She didn't look like the Hermione he knew. Her hair was sleek and shiny, her skin was tanned and beginning to freckle, and Harry knew she had to be wearing make-up, but he couldn't figure out where.

She giggled, gesturing to her hair. "Do you like it? I found this brilliant potion in Bulgaria that straightens it without me having to fuss with it at all. Viktor's mum promised to send me more when I run out."

"It's. uh." Harry didn't know what to say, except, "It's nice," he finished lamely.

Hermione seemed pleased, though. "Bulgaria was rather warm," she chattered on. "Of course, it was nice to get some sun, but I'm afraid I got a bit too much! I'm rather burnt."

"Uh-huh," Harry replied noncommittally. He pulled a chair up to the table. "How's Krum doing?"

Hermione blushed, and Ginny giggled. "Oh, he's. fine," she replied, off-hand.

"'Spect he is, after you were done with him," a voice, thick with sleep, came from the stairs.

Hermione looked up and gasped.

"Ronald Weasley!" Molly barked. "Honestly! You march right back upstairs and put some clothes on!" Ron was indeed still in his pajamas, but when he returned a few moments later, fully clothed in Muggle jeans and a Chudley Cannons t-shirt, his demeanor seemed none the pleasanter.

"How was your summer, Hermione?" he forced across the table, staring stiffly into his porridge.

"It was all right," she answered carefully, matching his lack of eye- contact with some evasion of her own.

Ron grunted. "You do anything besides snogging Krum?"

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley looked horrified, and quickly excused herself from the table.

Hermione seemed to be between tears and fury. "I was not snogging Viktor Krum!" She sighed heavily. "I thought we were past this last year! Why can't you just accept it, Ron? I like Viktor, okay?!"

"I bet you do!"

"Have you got a better offer?" Hermione shot back. "At least Viktor is a true friend!"

Ginny stood. "Ronald Weasley, I would think you'd know better by now. Honestly, she hasn't been here but an hour and you two are already at it again! Would you just act normal for once, please?! I haven't seen Hermione all summer, and I'd like to talk to her without one of you killing the other!" She said all this quickly and quietly, but amazingly enough, Ron seemed to listen to her. Harry was amazed, and made a note to ask Ginny later where on earth she'd learned to shut him up so fast.

"Well, then," Ginny continued, adeptly diffusing Ron and Hermione's acute embarrassment. "Hermione, really, how was your summer? What did you do?"

Hermione shrugged, taking her seat again. "It was all right." She glared at Ron. "Bulgaria was rather run-down, though. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The history was rather fascinating, but I was a bit distracted the whole time, to be honest."

It was at this point that Ron left the room, muttering under his breath on the way to the living room. Harry was tempted to follow - he wasn't too keen to listen to Hermione's romantic adventures, either - but what she said next stopped him from getting up.

"I was too worried about Harry," Hermione continued, rather loudly, as though hoping to draw Ron back. But she said nothing about Ron, instead casting her annoyance aside and concern transforming her features. "How have you been, Harry? Has anything. happened?"

Harry hesitated, and finally shrugged. "Nothing happened to me, but we're rather worried about Hedwig. She went missing for a week, and showed up at Hogwarts when she was supposed to come here."

"What happened to her?" Hermione gasped. "It's not like Hedwig to be so careless, is it, Harry? You don't think it has anything to do with You- Know-Who, do you?"

"We say 'Voldemort' now," Ginny corrected quietly. Her gaze was still on Harry. "When did all of this happen?"

Harry's face grew hot at the hurt look she was sending him. "Well. we talked with Dumbledore about it last night," he answered, feeling rather guilty. But then again, Fred and George didn't know yet, either. It wasn't as if they'd intended to leave Ginny out.

Ginny nodded, and Harry saw a glint in her eye that reminded him of her mother. "Funny how something like this can happen in my own home and I'm still the last one to know." She got up and left without another word.

Hermione looked concerned about more than just Hedwig. "What's all that about?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know exactly. but Ron told me she's been complaining all summer. Seems to think no one believes she can handle things, treating her with kid gloves, and all that." Hermione nodded sagely, and Harry turned to her, curious. "What? Do you know something I don't?"

Hermione hesitated. "Well. I'm not sure I should say, but. well, Harry, you know Ginny's having trouble at school."

"What?" Harry was surprised. "I thought she got good marks. Ron was going on about."

Hermione was shaking her head. "No, no, not her marks, Harry. I mean. well, she doesn't really have any friends. She's awfully lonely, she was all last year, and she's afraid to be around you and Ron because of. well. one thing and another."

"How can Ginny not have friends?" Harry questioned incredulously. "I've seen her plenty of times around school with the other girls, and. and she went to the Yule Ball with Neville last year!"

Hermione snorted. "Honestly, Harry, you're not very observant, are you? I mean, sure, I've seen her around those girls, too, but she's the quiet one, only ever really hanging on the outskirts. and Neville and Colin Creevey, they're not exactly the cream of the crop, are they? Oh, she's terribly clever, Harry, and you know how kind she is, and she's really a wonderful person, but. well, most of those kids - even the Gryffindors - they're. well, they're still a bit afraid of her."

Harry's stomach lurched. "Because of the Chamber of Secrets?" he questioned quietly. Hermione nodded sadly, and Harry felt his face redden again, this time in anger. "But. but that's ridiculous! She didn't hurt anyone! It was Voldemort controlling her the whole time!"

"Well, not everyone believes that, Harry," Hermione counseled softly. "There are still people who refuse to believe anything connected with Voldemort anymore, you know that. Look at Cornelius Fudge."

"But that's different!" Harry argued. "Anyway, he wasn't even Voldemort yet, he was Tom Riddle, and it was Lucius Malfoy's fault all along! Ginny didn't ask to be taken advantage of! She's just a kid!"

"I think she'd argue that she's not a kid anymore," Hermione replied. "And anyway, I'm glad you see it that way, Harry, but it doesn't mean everyone else does."

Harry nodded slowly. He could certainly sympathize with that. All his life, people had whispered as he passed, pointed fingers, believed their own version of every truth surrounding his life. He knew what it was like to be an outcast. but he had Ron and Hermione, and having them stand by him was sometimes all that kept him from going insane with anger and frustration. "Maybe we ought to pay more attention to her," he suggested suddenly. "I mean, you're practically her best friend."

"Her only friend."

".and Ron's her brother. And I'm. well, I don't know what I am to her anymore, but I understand what she's going through."

"That's nice of you, Harry," Hermione said, smiling.

Harry shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable. "Well. I just figure we owe her that much. I'm sure she's figured out stuff we've been up to loads of times, and she's never given us away."

Hermione stared at Harry intently, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"What?" Harry questioned, exasperated and uncomfortable under her gaze.

Hermione shook her head. "Nothing," she said finally. She stood and suggested: "Let's go see what the others are up to." Harry agreed, and they walked out to the living room, where Ron, Percy, and the twins were occupying the couch and armchair. Ron and the twins were playing a game of Exploding Snap, while Percy sat in the chair in the corner, gazing out the window, unusually idle.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione whispered.

Ron looked up at their entrance, and heard Hermione's question. He seemed to have forgot their earlier argument, or at least was trying to put it behind them. "I should imagine he's rather lovesick," he answered her, grinning wryly.

Hermione's eyebrows lifted. "Really?"

Percy huffed. "I am not lovesick, Ron. If you must know, I was just thinking about. er. work."

"Like I said, lovesick."

Fred and George laughed, and even Harry couldn't help cracking a smile. Hermione didn't look too impressed, though. She made her way to Percy's corner, sat on the footrest across from him, and the two talked in quiet tones for a long while.

Harry, meanwhile, made for the Exploding Snap game. "Deal me in?" They played for an hour, until Mrs. Weasley came bustling in and shooed them out of the house.

"Go on, now!" she urged, as they put their feet into their shoes and headed out the back door. Harry grabbed his Firebolt, and Fred, George, and Ron took their Cleansweeps from the corner and the four Weasley boys plus Harry and Hermione wandered up the hill behind the house until they found the field the twins liked to use for Quidditch.

"We'll just wait down here and watch," Hermione announced, taking a seat on the green grass, and Percy joined her.

Harry, Fred, George, and Ron mounted their brooms and kicked off of the ground. They spent a few moments just circling the field, diving and swooping, and then George released the Bludgers and picked up the Quaffle, and shot again into the air. He handed Fred his club, tossed the Quaffle to Harry, and they took off around the field, tearing after the Bludgers.

"Go on, Harry, shoot on him!" Fred yelled.

"If Ickle Ronniekins wants to play Keeper this year, he's going to need his practice!" George shouted.

Harry looked over to Ron. "You're going to play Keeper?"

Ron turned red again. "Well. thinking about it. still have to try out.," he muttered.

Harry grinned. "Excellent." And he shot the Quaffle past Ron into the imaginary hoop. Ron groaned and swore, but he didn't miss another shot. Diving this way and that, even on a Cleansweep Seven he managed to look graceful, and with an air of confidence that only years on a broomstick could instill. They practiced like this for awhile, until Harry grew bored of throwing the Quaffle around, and Ron fetched some golf balls from the sports bag for Harry to chase.

Ron tossed the first ball, and Harry dove after it, chasing it within a foot of the grass, and then, feeling his fingers close around it, he pulled up sharply, climbing higher and higher in the air.

Ron tossed another ball, and Harry dove again, but he hadn't got more than a second's start when he heard one of the twins shout, "Ron!" and then a sickening crunch. He looked up in time to see a Bludger streaking away from Ron's face, leaving a fine red spray in the air behind it.

Harry could see Ron falling off his broom, and he quickly urged his Firebolt higher. He could hear Hermione and Percy screaming below him, and the twins bellowing from across the field. Ron was fifty feet off the ground, falling quickly. Harry couldn't get to his wand. Ron was thirty feet from the ground now. twenty feet. he wasn't going to get there in time!...

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione was on the ground, her wand in the air, her eyes fixed on Ron's body.

Ron had stopped falling. Harry swooped under him and pulled him onto his broom, then headed for the ground. They landed softly, and the Firebolt fell onto the ground. Harry dragged Ron clear onto the grass, and laid him gently on the ground. Hermione came running over a moment later, looking pale and far less confidant than she had a moment before. Percy and the twins were right behind her, Fred carrying Ron's broom along with his own.

"Is he all right?" Hermione questioned anxiously.

Fred knelt beside Ron, examining his unconscious brother. His face was a bloodied mess. His left eye and nose had already begun to swell, and they couldn't tell what else was wrong with him through the blood leaking from his nose and mouth. "Looks like his nose is broken," Fred muttered, for once completely serious. "I don't think we can tell anything else until he's awake."

Percy nodded and pointed his wand at Ron. "Enervate," he rasped nervously.

Ron blinked slowly. "What. what happened?" His voice was hoarse and cracking, and when he coughed, they could see the blood coming up from his throat. He tried to sit up, but George shoved him back down, obviously relieved.

"Not so fast, little brother," he ordered. He waved a finger in front of Ron's eyes. "How many? What day is it? When are you going to ask out Hermione?"

"Honestly, George!" Hermione reacted angrily, swatting at him.

Ron's reply was similar. "Gerroff me, George!" He rose unsteadily to his feet and grabbed hold of Harry's arm to keep from falling. "I'm fine. Think I've had enough of Quidditch for today, though."

"Do you remember what happened?" Hermione questioned as they all headed back down the hill toward the Burrow.

Ron tried to shrug, resulting in a wince of pain. "I saw a big black thing coming toward me, then it slammed into my face. I guess it knocked me out. Must have been a Bludger." He glared at the twins. "Thought that was your job."

Fred shrugged, grinning. "Well, we are out of practice. Anyway, Ron, if you can't stand the heat."

"You two be quiet," Percy ordered. "He's taken it very well, I'm sure you'll notice. Although, Ron, Quidditch is an awfully ridiculous thing to risk life and limb for. I mean, really, if Hermione wasn't quick in a crisis, you might've died!"

"What does Hermione have to do with anything?" Ron questioned, stopping dead in his tracks.

"Well, you fell off your broom when you passed out," Harry explained. "I caught you before you hit the ground, but I wouldn't have made it if Hermione hadn't kept you in the air."

Ron grunted. "Well.uh."

"Saved by a girl, Ron," Fred reminded him. "Better pay her back. How 'bout a kiss?"

"Shut up, Fred." Ron didn't look too happy about his situation. Harry knew Ron would hate being indebted to Hermione, although he didn't think Hermione was the type to try to take advantage. "Guess I owe you one, Hermione," Ron said finally, and they continued down the hill.

***

"What were you thinking?!" Mrs. Weasley shouted. "You could have killed him, Fred! You too, George! I want to know which one of you sent that Bludger at him! It was completely uncalled for, not to mention dangerous! And you!" She turned to Percy. "What were you thinking, letting them play with real Bludgers?! You of all people, Percy; you used to be so responsible! And you remember what happened to Charlie in his fifth year! Why, I couldn't bear it, having to go through that again!" She dabbed at Ron's bloody nose with a dishtowel, muttering under her breath.

"What happened to Charlie?" Harry asked curiously.

"We'll tell you later," George said hastily. He turned to his mother. "Come on, Mum, Ron's fine. He just got a good whack in the nose. It happens!"

"Builds character," Fred added.

"Look at Harry! He lost all the bones in his arm a few years back, but he didn't let it stop him!" George threw in.

Ron shoved Mrs. Weasley's arm away. "Really, Mum, I'm fine. Doesn't even hurt anymore," he lied, wincing.

"I can see that," Ginny commented wryly from the doorway. She'd come downstairs to investigate the racket, and had seemed amused at Ron's condition, once it had been established that he had suffered no permanent damage.

Mrs. Weasley sat back on her heels, staring up at Ron, who had been dumped unceremoniously onto a chair in the middle of the kitchen. "Well, there's not much more I can do for that nose," she said. "I never was very good as a mediwizard. Maybe we should take you to Saint Mungo's."

"No!" Ron shouted immediately. "I'm fine, Mum. Can everyone just stop fussing over me?"

Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips. "Fine. But I'm disappointed in you all. You should have more sense than this. I'll be telling your father when he gets home." She brushed past Ginny and went back to the garden, where she'd been weeding when they had come home, practically dragging Ron through the door.

Fred let out his breath as soon as she was gone. "What does she mean, 'more sense'? We were just having a bloody game of Quidditch, for Merlin's sake!"

Hermione stared at him, her chin trembling. She'd been quiet and pale since they'd returned, almost as though she were in shock. "She's right, Fred! You might have killed him!" she snapped.

"I'm fine," Ron said gruffly.

"See?" George said soothingly. "He's fine. Your spell saved him! It's just a broken nose!"

"That spell might not have worked, George!" Hermione argued shrilly. "I haven't used it since first year, and I've never had to hold up a human body! You don't know how hard that was! I thought I was going to lose control and drop him, and. oh." And with that, Hermione fainted.

There was an immediate uproar. "Hermione!" Ron yelled, his eyes bulging. Ginny got to her side first, and shooed them all back.

"Honestly, give her some air! And someone go and fetch Mum!"

George left quickly, and Harry pushed Ron back down in his chair. A moment later, Mrs. Weasley bustled in and pulled Ginny back. "It's all right, she'll be all right," Mrs. Weasley said crisply. She looked up. "Someone get her a glass of water." Then she turned back to Hermione and lifted her wand. "Mobilus Corpus," she muttered, and Hermione rose into the air. "I'm taking her upstairs and putting her to bed. Bring the water up after her. and some fruit, perhaps," she added as an afterthought. "She'll be hungry when she wakes up." She prodded Hermione gently with her wand, and guided her up the stairs. Ginny followed with a glass of water and an apple.

Ron stared at his mother's back. "Aren't you going to do anything?" he called after her. "Shouldn't you wake her up, make sure she's okay?"

"She's fine, Ron," Mrs. Weasley called back firmly. "She just needs some rest. I'll explain it to you in a moment."

They waited in silence, worried about what could make Hermione faint. She had never done this before, Harry was sure. Had she? Certainly not at Hogwarts; he would remember. Maybe she was prone to fainting at home. still, Hermione wasn't exactly weak.

Mrs. Weasley returned in a few moments. "She's fine!" she announced, holding up a hand to silence the onslaught of questions. "Just a bit drained, the poor dear. Not used to performing that sort of magic, you see. And under stress." She glared at the boys. "Ron weighs a bit more than a feather, you know. You might have bothered to mention her little spell earlier. I could have sent her straight to bed so she wouldn't fall and hit her head!" She sighed. "I'm amazed she could do it, really. Very difficult, and for her age." She turned to Ron. "You'd best get up to bed, too. You're not in any condition to be up and around."

Ron rolled his eye - the one that wasn't swollen shut - and stood slowly. "I think I'd rather sit in the living room. Anyone up for a game of chess?"

There was a round of disinterested shrugging and murmurs, and Ron nodded. "Me neither."

Percy was the first one to move. He stood before Ron. "I'm going out for a bit. Tell Mum." He sighed, searching the floor for answers. "Tell her I'll be back for supper," he muttered finally. He pulled out his wand and Disapparated with a small pop!

"Maybe I'll play chess with you, Ron," George offered half-heartedly.

Fred shook his head. "We have work to do." He raised his eyebrows and sent his twin a pointed glance. "Remember?"

George started. "Fred. I don't think."

"It has to be done before we leave!" Fred argued cryptically.

"What does?" Ron asked.

"Nothing," George sighed. "All right." The twins left the room.

"What was that all about?" Harry questioned, bewildered. Fred and George were usually up to something. after his "little" investment in their joke shop last year, though, he had hoped they would share a little more about what they were doing. It was usually entertaining, at the very least.

Ron shrugged. "Dunno." Strangely enough, he didn't seem to care, either. He stood still for a moment. "Do you think Mum would let us go visit Hermione?"

Harry tried not to stare at him. "Probably not. She's sleeping, I guess."

Ron nodded. "Oh. Yeah." And then, "I guess I ought to apologize to her when she wakes up. Wasn't very nice to her before, was I?"

Harry didn't answer. They walked out to the living room together. Ron was walking better on his own now. "Think I've got this figured out.," he would mutter occasionally. "Balance is a little off, but."

Harry sat down on the couch, and then stood immediately. His Firebolt! He'd forgot it when Ron fell! "Ron," he said quickly, "I have to get back up to the field. I left my broom. I think we left the bag, too."

"I'll go with you," Ron offered.

Harry laughed. "Ron, you can barely move."

"No, no!" Ron insisted. He stood. "See? Anyway, Harry, you can't go alone."

Harry felt annoyed. "Ron, look at yourself. This is ridiculous. I won't be more than a minute."

"No," Ron said firmly. "Look, you know what Dad said. It's not safe. I don't mean to be a prat about this, but it's important!" He made a furious noise, obviously very frustrated. "Look, I know we've had a lot of fun before, but. Mum and Dad sat me down after last year. We were really worried about you, Harry. And they're going to murder me if they find out I let you go out alone."

"Let me?" Harry cut in angrily. He felt a great swell of fury taking control of him. He'd had enough of it. All summer, people had bossed him around. He didn't get a say in what he did, where he went - he had to spend almost the whole horrible summer with the Dursleys. Hadn't he proven that he could take care of himself? "You're not my dad, Ron, you can't -"

"No, I'm not!" Ron agreed. "But what about Sirius? I'd wager you listen to his advice. What do you think he would say?"

Harry's arguments deflated. He felt angry, but he couldn't argue. He couldn't be alone. He couldn't make his own decisions. "Are you coming, or aren't you?" he bit out gruffly.

Ron nodded. "We ought to go out the front, then," he said slowly. "Mum's in the garden, and she won't be very happy about this."

"With reason." The boys spun around to see Ginny standing in the doorway, tapping her wand against her leg.

"How long have you been standing there?" Harry exclaimed, startled, and rather annoyed.

She ignored his comment, staring at both of them angrily. "Honestly, don't you two get it? Ron, you're not exactly a line of defense for Harry. A broomstick isn't worth it."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Ginny, come off it, there's no one up at that field."

"Oh no?" she questioned him, an eyebrow cocked. "Then why wouldn't you let Harry go alone? I'll tell you why!" she said forcefully, striding closer to them. "'Better safe than sorry', Ron! You, at least, should know better than that! Harry hasn't been here all summer; he doesn't know what's been happening." She stared at Harry. "Although I'd still expect you to have some amount of healthy respect for your life, Harry. And I did think you had more sense."

"You're sounding an awful lot like Mum," Ron said nastily.

Ginny's eyes brimmed with tears. "Stop it! That's not fair, Ron! You know I'm right about this! I don't want you to go!"

Ron walked past her, shaking his head. "You don't know what you're talking about. Coming, Harry?"

Harry followed him, feeling slightly guilty at Ginny's tearful face. 'But why should I be guilty?' something inside him said furiously. 'What does she know? It's my life!'

He strode up the hill beside Ron and refused to look back.