"It has begun."

Such grim words, spoken by such a friendly face. How could it be?

Ron blinked sleepily, trying to bring everything into focus.

Everything came back to him at once. Dumbledore, the cabin, the bear, the wolves.

"Harry?" he questioned around a yawn.

"Yeah."

His friend sounded particularly downhearted, and Ron struggled to wake up.

"What happened? What's begun?"

"The war."

Ron had the pecular urge to look Harry full in the face and say something
rather rude in the most obvious tone he could speak in.

"I know that Harry. We've been at war for a long time now," he murmed, wished
he could shut his eyes and go on sleeping the day away.

"No, Ron. Not like that. The War."

Something in Harry's voice indicated capital letters were in order.

"Dumbledore wants you."

There was a pause.

"I suppose that means I have to get up then?" Ron grumbled. Harry
almost smiled.

"Afraid so."

He was met with a loud groan, and then a soft cry of pain, as
Hermione elbowed Ron in the chest.

"Go back to sleep," she ordered.

"Can't, love," Ron crowed, not one to ignore an oppertunity when
it looked him full in the face.

Hermione raised her head and blinked wearily at him. "Why not?"

"Sir Dubledore hath issued a summon for ye, my lady" he said somberly,
in a very official tone. Harry made a noise that sounded suspisiously
like a snicker.

Hermione blinked at him again, as though it took some time for her to
fully comprehend what Ron had just said.

"Oh," she muttered finally. "OK then."

She would have stood up right then and there had she not caught sight
of Harry. A moment of silence passed betweeh the two, before Ron gazed
at Harry pointedly, and mude a small guesture in the general direction
of the door.

Harry raised his eyebrow, but went outside just the same.

Hw could have sworn he heard Ron whisper "Bye bye," in an amused tone.

"What did you say?" he called suspisiously over his shoulder.

"Nothing."