Author's Notes: To make up for last time's measly update, here's the long-awaited (and long-winded)…*drumroll*…first actual entry that pertains to stuff which actually happened in the book! Rejoice!

I tried not to make it too repetitive…I know you've all read this dialogue before, so I tried to cut some of it out, and tried to put it into Hermione's perspective. Hope it works out all right. And for those of you wondering how Hermione can remember word-for-word exactly what everyone says…just remember…its Hermione. ^_^

Sunday, 6 August

10:12 p.m.

Harry's finally here! And he's healthy and all in one piece and a tad…bitter, but I think he'll get over that. Hopefully he...got it out of his system tonight.

All day we watched, fascinated, as the Order planned out the final details of what Tonks jokingly called, "The Great Escape." She'd sent a phoney letter to the Dursley's which would get them out of the house for tonight. Once they were gone, a whole load of members of the Order Apparated to Privet Drive, where evidently a very surprised Harry (I don't blame him for getting scared, I know what it's like, and apparently they dropped right into his kitchen!) was quickly informed of what was happening and then Disillusioned. They waited for a signal from Arabella Figg and Mundungus, and then came here by broom. By broom. Harry must have been freezing; it's so cold for August, and way up there in the clouds where they had to fly for cover had to be awful…

Ron and I were waiting impatiently in his room for Harry's arrival, half-heartedly playing a game of chess (Mr. Black's old set has finally begrudgingly accepted me, although the white pieces are friendlier than the black), when the door opened and there stood a very pale, very baffled-looking, slightly taller Harry. We hadn't even heard them get back.

I shrieked and ran over to hug him, ecstatic to see him alive and intact. Moody had spent all day trying to organize a rear guard to take over in the event that everyone was killed during the attempt to fly Harry to Grimmauld Place. After hearing this, I just stood there with my mouth agape until Mrs. Weasley re-assured me that it was very unlikely that everyone would die in the attempt. Which was, of course, not re-assuring in the least.

I started babbling nonsensically while I hugged Harry. A happy-looking Ron closed the door behind him.

"Let him breathe, Hermione," he said, grinning widely. Harry still looked a bit overwhelmed, but he brightened when he saw Hedwig, who immediately flew over and perched herself on his shoulder.

"She's been in a right state, pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look at this…" Ron said, showing Harry the marks of Hedwig's fury.

"Oh yeah," Harry said. "Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know – "

Somehow, though I…I don't know, I got the feeling that he wasn't sorry at all. Ron explained that we really wanted to give him answers, and that we were both going crazy that we couldn't tell him anything. But Harry didn't seem convinced. If anything, he began to look downright sulky.

"He seemed to think it was best," I tried explaining. "Dumbledore, I mean."

"I think he thought you were safest with the Muggles," Ron added.

"Yeah? Have either of you been attacked by Dementors this summer?" Harry shot back.

I mouthed wordlessly, taken aback.

"Well, no," Ron said uncomfortably. "But that's why he's been having people from the Order tailing you all the time – "

"Didn't work, though, did it?" Harry said coldly. "Had to look after myself after all, didn't I?" He told us he was glad Mundungus had left – he figured Dumbledore would have left him with his relatives all summer if he hadn't been attacked and done magic.

"Aren't you worried about the Ministry of Magic hearing?" I asked quietly.

"No." He started pacing, glancing around the room that's now his and Ron's. Bill said that he's all right in the guest room, even though we never did manage to get those Nargles out of the dresser drawers. But Bill's hardly here, anyway.

"So why's Dumbledore been so keen to keep me in the dark? Did you bother to ask him at all?" Harry asked casually.

Ron and I exchanged looks. This was exactly how we thought he'd react. We tried to explain, but Harry only grew increasingly edgy.

"Maybe he thinks I can't be trusted," he suggested coolly.

"Don't be thick," Ron said, looking flustered.

"Or that I can't take care of myself."

"Or course he doesn't think that!" I exclaimed.

"So how come," Harry continued very rapidly, "I have to stay at the Dursleys' while you two get to join in on everything that's going on here? How come you two are allowed to know everything that's going on?"

"We're not!" Ron tried to explain. "Mum won't let us near the meetings, she says we're too young – "

And then Harry exploded.

I can't remember word for word what he said; I was too busy standing there, gaping at him, willing myself not to cry. Harry has never, ever yelled at us like that. He just…every unpleasant and resentful thing he's probably ever felt just came pouring out. I know he was frightened and confused and frustrated, but…Ron and I were just doing as we were told, we just wanted him to be safe…I mean, he had every right to be angry, but some of the things he said…

"Harry, we're really sorry!" I finally interrupted, desperately trying not to cry. "You're absolutely right, I'd be furious if it was me!"

He just glowered at me, breathing deeply and pacing the room. Then he started firing questions at us, and we took turns quickly replying, scared that he might blow up at us again. We explained about the Extendable Ears and what we've been doing at the house, and told him everything we've learned about the Order and its members. Harry offered a somewhat plausible explanation of guard duty.

"Couldn't have been guarding me, could it?" he said sarcastically.

"Oh yeah," said Ron slowly.

Shortly after that, the twins Apparated in, and Harry seemed to lose steam after they teased him some about yelling. I'll admit, sometimes the twins can be half-decent, and somewhat useful. Even if they insisted again on risking the Extendables. Thankfully, Ginny showed up before they could do anything stupid.

After greeting Harry brightly, she turned to Fred and George. "It's no-go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door." She'd been chucking Dungbombs at the kitchen door, and they'd been sailing away; a sure sign of an Imperturbable.

"Shame. I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to," Fred said with a sigh.

"Snape!" Harry said in surprise. "Is he here?"

"Yeah. Giving a report. Top secret," said George.

"Git," added Fred. Now, I am not Snape's biggest fan, but he is on our side now, and I told them so.

Ron snorted. "Doesn't stop him being a git. The way he looks at us when he sees us."

This was true. Ron caught Snape's eye as he was leaving the first day we tried the Extendables, and Snape gave him the dirtiest look…

We went on to have almost the exact same conversation we had when I arrived at Grimmauld Place – Harry asked about Charlie and Bill (once again, I watched Ron's reaction when Fleur Delacour's name came up, and he seemed uninterested…not that I care…), and then the dreaded subject of Percy arose. At least Harry had the sense to ask about him straight away, unlike me. As soon as he mentioned his name, we all exchanged dark looks.

"Whatever you do, don't mention Percy in front of Mum and Dad," Ron said to Harry in an edgy voice.

"Why not?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Because every time Percy's name's mentioned, Dad breaks whatever he's holding and Mum starts crying," Fred said darkly. And the said thing is that that's almost a completely accurate description of what does happen. Mr. Weasley broke a vase the other day when Percy's name came up, but Sirius assured him that it only held the remains of his Aunt Elladora, who started the tradition of beheading the house elves when they got too old. I furiously swept up the ashes and threw them in with the rest of the rubbish before realizing how extremely morbid and disgusting it was to sweep up someone's ashes. Ugh.

We quickly explained the situation with Percy to a shocked and decidedly less angry Harry. He had calmed down quite a lot by then. Like I said, he probably just had to get it out of his system, poor thing.

"But Percy must know Voldemort's back. He's not stupid, he must know your mum and dad wouldn't risk everything without proof," Harry pointed out.

"Yeah, well, your name got dragged into the row," muttered Ron. "Percy said the only evidence was your word and…I dunno…he didn't think it was good enough."

"Percy takes the Daily Prophet seriously," I said in disgust. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, furrowing his eyebrows. We all exchanged looks. I didn't want to be the one to tell him, but since no one else spoke up…

"Haven't you been getting the Daily Prophet?" I asked nervously.

"Yeah, I have."

"Have you been reading it thoroughly?"

"Not cover to cover."

"Well, you'd need to read it cover to cover to pick it up, but they – um – mention you a couple times a week," I said. Harry began to say that he hadn't seen anything, but I quickly said, "I'm not talking about big articles. They slip you in, like a standing joke."

I gave him a few examples of the disgusting comments they've made…really, they're just building on Rita's stupid stuff…insinuating that Harry is attention-starved and wants people to worship him…

"I don't want anyone to worship – " Harry began, his voice getting louder again.

"I know you don't," I interrupted quickly, before he could get angry again. "I know Harry, but don't you see what they're doing? They want to turn you into someone nobody will believe. Fudge is behind it, I'll bet anything. They want wizards on the street to think to think you're just some stupid boy who's a bit of a joke, who tells ridiculous tall stories because he loves being famous and wants to keep it going."

"YOU-KNOW-WHO KILLED MY PARENTS!" Harry spluttered before going on another one of his tirades. But this one didn't sound angry – more hurt, and confused.

"We know, Harry," Ginny insisted, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"And of course they didn't report a word about the Dementors attacking you," I said furiously. You'd think that would be a big deal, a bunch of renegade Dementors attacking a teenage wizard and a Muggle boy. They didn't even try to discredit Harry or anything by reporting that he broke the Statute of Secrecy. They're probably just waiting until the hearing, where they can have a big, fat, ugly headline - Harry Potter Expelled – but I re-assured Harry that they can't possibly expel him if they abide by their own laws.

I wanted to talk more about the hearing, but the next second we heard Mrs. Weasley's footsteps approaching. Fred and George Disapparated with a loud crack, and Mrs. Weasley stepped into the room shortly after.

"The meeting's over," she announced. "You can come down now and have dinner.  Everyone's dying to see you, Harry. And who's left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?"
"Crookshanks," said Ginny without batting an eyelash. "He loves playing with them."

Well, well, well, Ginny Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley ushered her out of the room to wash her hands, and Harry turned to us, looking slightly ashamed of himself.

"Look…" he began.

Ron shook his head at him. I quietly said, "We knew you'd be angry, Harry, we really don't blame you, but you've got to understand, we did try to persuade Dumbledore…"

Well, we didn't quite try to persuade Dumbledore…it was more like I yelled, "What about Harry?" But we did try to write him better letters, and we did try to convince Mr. Weasley to let him come here earlier…

"Yeah, I know," said Harry. Then, out of nowhere, "Who's Kreacher?"

"The house-elf who lives here. Nutter. Never met one like him," Ron said.

I frowned, clenching my fists at my side. "He is not a nutter, Ron."

"His life's ambition is to have his head cut off and stuck up on a plaque just like his mother," Ron said impatiently. "Is that normal, Hermione?"

"Well, if he is a bit strange, it's not his fault," I shot back defensively, hands on my hips.

Ron rolled his eyes and turned to Harry. "Hermione still hasn't given up on spew."

"It is not spew! It is the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare. And it's not just me, Dumbledore says we should be kind to Kreacher, too," I said triumphantly.

"Yeah, yeah. C'mon, I'm starving," Ron said, starting towards the door.

Prat.

Outside, we saw a few members of the Order, Snape included, heading towards the door. An Extendable suddenly appeared in my face, dangling in front of the three of us, but Snape and company quickly moved out of earshot. One of the twins swore, and they hoisted up the ear.

After Tonks managed to knock over something, causing Mrs. Black to start up again (to Harry's amazement and horror), and Sirius had come running to shut her up, we all headed down to the kitchen for dinner. Bill was in there, cleaning up after the meeting, as well as Ron's parents. I only managed to get a brief glimpse of what looked like a map on an open piece of parchment before Mrs. Weasley hastily snatched it up and placed it in Bill's arms, scolding him for leaving it lying around. Mundungus was already in the kitchen, asleep and smelling faintly of smoke and old socks, but he woke up and was properly introduced to Harry, whom he apologized to. But I think he only apologized because Mrs. Weasley was giving him a look that could kill over Harry's shoulder.

Dinner was fairly uneventful, except for when the twins tried to set the table with magic and nearly chopped off Sirius's hand. It was afterwards that things started to liven up a bit.

"You know, I'm surprised at you," Sirius said off-handedly to Harry once we were finished and sitting back contentedly. "I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."

The kitchen pretty much exploded. Harry exclaimed that he had, and that we couldn't tell him anything, Sirius and Mrs. Weasley got into a row over what Harry should and should not be allowed to know, Fred and George indignantly started complaining that they didn't get their questions answered, and finally, Mrs. Weasley all but accused Sirius of being delusional.

"He's not James, Sirius!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," Sirius replied coolly.

"I'm not sure you are! Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!"

Now, although this probably wasn't the…most appropriate thing to say, and especially in front of Harry, I have to sort of agree with Mrs. Weasley on this one. Sirius is really great, and he's great for Harry – he's practically the only "family" he has, after all – but sometimes I think Mrs. Weasley's right. Sometimes, I think Sirius sees Harry as a replacement for Harry's father. It's not right, but I don't really blame him either…imagine losing your best friend…

Finally, Lupin intervened, and it was decided that Harry should have his questions answered, lest he get a "garbled version from elsewhere". I turned a lovely shade of red – he must know that we're still using the Extendables. Mrs. Weasley tried to send the rest of us to bed, but the twins refused to budge ("Molly, you can't stop Fred and George. They are of age," Mr. Weasley pointed out wearily), Ron and I insisted that Harry would tell us everything later anyway ("'Course I will," said Harry, and Ron and I beamed at him). In the end, only Ginny had to be taken away, kicking and screaming. But it was okay, because as soon as I got up to bed, I told her everything anyway.

Harry took a deep breath once everyone was somewhat settled. "Where's Voldemort?" he asked. Shudders all around. "What's he doing? I've been trying to watch the Muggle news, and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything."

"That's because there haven't been any funny deaths yet, not as far as we know, anyway…and we know quite a lot," said Sirius proudly.

"How come he stopped killing people?" Harry asked. Shudders again.

"Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself," Sirius said in satisfaction. "It would be dangerous for him. His comeback didn't come off quite the way he wanted it to, you see. He messed it up."
Well, actually Harry messed it up for him, just by surviving and then spreading the word – Dumbledore was the only person You-Know-Who was ever afraid of, and Harry managed to alert him immediately. They mainly skimmed over everything we've already learned from the Extendables – You-Know-Who's trying to build up his army first again, and the Order is trying to stop him from recruiting certain followers, like the giants. They're also alerting as many people as possible about his return. They explained Dumbledore's various demotions and how his name is now dirt with everyone thanks to the Daily Prophet. We knew all this already. But then Sirius let something slip that was new to us.

"What's he after apart from followers?" Harry asked.

"Stuff he can get only by stealth," Sirius answered. Harry looked puzzled, so Sirius elaborated. "Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time."

Ah-ha!

"Like what kind of weapon?" Harry asked. "Something worse than the Avada Kedavra - ?"

"That's enough!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, having returned. She looked absolutely furious with Sirius. "I want you in bed, now, all of you. You've given Harry plenty of information. Any more and you might as well induct him into the Order straightaway!"

"Why not?" Harry said quickly, looking hopeful. "I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight."

"No," said Lupin. "The Order is comprised of only overage wizards – wizards who have left school," he emphasized, glancing at the twins. "There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you…I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough."

We were all ushered to bed, and after saying goodnight to the boys, I went into our bedroom. The room was dark, but predictably, Ginny was lying on her bed, wide awake. She sat up as soon as I came in.

"Well?" she demanded.

I recounted the night's events, feeling rather tired despite the fact that it was still quite early to go to bed in comparison with most other nights at Grimmauld Place. Once I finished, Ginny crossed her legs on her bed and looked pensive.

"What do you think the weapon is?" she asked in a whisper.

"Maybe some sort of Dark magic…or some kind of Dark device…" I answered, involuntarily shuddering. "But what could possibly be worse than the Killing Curse?"

"I don't – " Ginny suddenly perked up, alert. "Mum," she said simply. Both of us slid under the covers and lay very still, breathing evenly. We heard the door creak open, and then softly close. Mrs. Weasley's footsteps faded away. After waiting a moment just to be sure she was gone, I leaned over my bed and grabbed my journal from its hiding place under my bed.

Tomorrow I think we're starting the drawing room, so I should really get to sleep. Oh, wait, Ginny's moving around in bed, I don't think she's asleep yet either…

11:25 p.m.

Well!

That's right, Ginny now I'm writing about you…honestly, she's still giggling…

When I was writing before, I could hear Ginny moving around in bed, clearly awake, but I continued writing since she usually doesn't say anything about my late night journal escapades. Tonight, though, I guess her curiousity got the best of her.

"Hermione?" she whispered.

I stopped writing. "Yes?"

"I really don't mean to be nosy, but…you spend half your nights writing in that book…I mean, not to be a snoop, but…" Ginny said nervously.

If there's one thing that I've learned in our few years of friendship, it's that I can trust Ginny Weasley. After a brief hesitation, I swung my legs over my bed and walked over to hers, sitting down next to her.

"It's a journal," I explained, a tad embarrassed. "I…er…found it in Diagon Alley a while ago, and it's a really neat bit of magic, actually…what's written in here only appears when I, and only I, touch the book."

Ginny looked impressed, and not at all like she was going to laugh at me for keeping a journal. "Wow, did you do that on your own?"

"Erm…no. The shopkeeper in Diagon Alley performed the spell to link me to the book, actually."

"Well, it's still very nice."

I smiled warmly. "Thanks, Ginny."

"Just as long as you don't write nasty things about me in it," she added with a grin, slipping under her covers again and wrapping them around herself.

"Oh, don't worry," I said wryly, returning to my bed, "the only person I write nasty things about is your brother." Eg. the prat comment I made earlier due to his degrading of the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.

At this, Ginny started laughing hysterically. She rolled over to try to muffle the sound with her pillow, but I was not fooled. "What?" I demanded as I plopped down on my own bed again.

"Nothing," Ginny gasped out between fits of laughter.

"What?!"

"Nothing!"

I suddenly caught on and felt my cheeks burning. "GINNY!" I exclaimed loudly, scandalized.

"Shh, you'll bring Mum back!"

"You are absolutely disgusting! I meant that Ron's annoying sometimes and occasionally I write about that!" I hissed as the blood continued to rush to my face.

"I know…sorry, sorry, it just sounded so funny…"

In a huff, I started scribbling in here again, occasionally casting disgusted looks Ginny's way. After a few more soft giggles, she eventually started yawning loudly, and then fell asleep.

Really! That girl is hanging around with Fred and George far too much.