Thanks to all my reviewers! Here's the next chapter!

Chapter three: Row, Row, Row your boat!

Harry sighed back in the common room. He should have known that somebody would read it. He was so depressed and sad lately that someone would want to know why. But he really didn't want to tell, not just for his safety, but because it was something that he really didn't want to have to deal with just yet. He didn't really want to talk, he realized, just like Dumbledore had said.

Thinking back on their letters, Harry realized that he and Dumbledore were similar. They had similar situations, and felt sort of the same way. They both had to defeat the greatest dark wizard of their times, or die trying. Harry just hoped that it wouldn't come to the latter.

Ron had read his letter. He didn't read far enough to get any real information, but he did intrude on Harry's privacy. Harry knew that he really shouldn't have, but he forgave Ron. He knew that Ron could not help it. His curiosity overruled his friend's feelings, similar to when Harry saw Snape's worse memory in his pensieve.

And, thinking hard, he realized that had he not been so depressed, he might have done the same thing. Maybe.

So he forgave Ron, and Ron was still his best friend. The only question was, would Hermione forgive Ron?

Harry chuckled grimly, thinking of the row they must be having right now. Well, the yelling Hermione must be doing, more like. He wondered if the whole Great Hall was listening. He was right.

*

" I know" Said Ron, glumly.

" I mean," Hermione went on, and Ron realized what was coming, " how could you do that, Ron? That was Harry's private letter, and you just read it like it was yours!"

" I was curious, Hermione-"

"Don't you use your excuses with me, Ron! We're all curious, but you're the only one thick enough to do something like that! You knew how depressed Harry was feeling, and you went and broke his trust!" By now, the Great Hall, who was used to Hermione and Ron's rows, turned to watch, waiting to see what had happened this time, and who was going to win.

" I didn't mean to-"

" OF COURSE YOU MEANT TO, RON! HOW COULD YOU READ SOMETHING WITHOUT MEANING TO? WHAT, DID VOLDEMORT," The Hall gasped as she screamed the name, " MAKE YOU READ IT, RON?"

Ron did not answer for a while. The whole room was silent, most people wondering what had happened, and what Ron had done. Finally, Ron broke the silence.

" Do you really think I broke his trust?"  He asked, like a five year old.

Hermione sighed, closed her eyes, and said very calmly,

" If it were me, then you would have broken mine. But Harry is a very different kind of person. I really don't know if you have or not, but he seems to have forgiven you."

" I'm sorry, Hermione." Ron said. He was feeling very small.

" Don't tell it to me, tell it to Harry." She said, but her expressions softened, and she went back to eating her breakfast.

*

After finishing his pancakes, Ron went to Gryffindor Tower to find Harry and apologize. Harry was sitting down on the couch, staring into the fire like he had been doing for so many days.

It had become a daily ritual for Harry. He would sit there and gaze into the fire without really seeing it, and it freaked the Gryffindors. They had at first wondered what he was doing, but after someone made the mistake of disturbing him and ended up with a bat-boogey curse, they all left him alone and got used to it.

" Er… Harry?" Ron asked tentatively. This was the first time that someone had disturbed Harry while he was staring at the fire, as if in a trance, since someone was cursed.

After two minutes with no hexing, Harry slowly turned to Ron, and unreadable expression on his face.

"Er…I just wanted to say… I'm sorry for reading your letter from Dumbledore."

Harry's green orbs tore into Ron, and Ron shuttered. He felt like Harry saw everything in his mind when he did that. He had developed the same stare as Dumbledore had.

" That's alright, Ron. I forgive you." Harry said shortly, before turning back to the fire.

Ron sighed inwardly. He forgave him. Ron knew that, had the situation been reversed, and Harry read his mail, he would have a hard time forgiving him.

He went over to the couch and sat down next to Harry, following his gaze into the fire.

" So…erm… what are you doing?"

 Harry was silent for a while, and Ron was just about to ask again, but he finally answered, " Thinking. Brooding. Something I really shouldn't be doing." Harry's eyes grew slightly more into focus, and they didn't have that lost look.

" I really shouldn't be dwelling. He's right, Ron. ' It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live'. That's what he said, isn't it? I'm going to go finish packing. Want to help?" Harry asked, and wrenched his gaze from the fire to look at Ron.

" Sure," He said, still confused as to what Harry just said. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live? Who said that?

Together, they finished packing, and then headed down to the common room, where the rest of the Gryffindors were, waiting for the train to come and take them home.

" Or  to Hell, in my case." Harry mumbled.

*

The train ride was uneventful, other then when Harry received an owl from Dumbledore.

He opened the window to let the owl in, and Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Hermione gave each other looks that reminded them to stay silent.

Without a word, Harry opened his letter and read it.

Harry;

You missed an interesting row during breakfast. It was Ron and Hermione, of course. From what I understand of the shouting and mumbling, Ron read your first letter from me, but only up to a certain part, as they both admitted that they were curious about you.

I would just like to make sure that Ron did not read too far into the letter. Far enough to understand the prophecy and your role in it. It would be best if as few people as possible knew about it, so the information won't leak to Voldemort.

Also, from what I understood of the interesting scene at breakfast, you forgave Ron. I am glad that you chose to do that. Not many would, if they were in your position. You know that I ' believe in second chances', as Hagrid once put it.

Please let me know if Ron read far up to the prophecy in the letter. Thank you;

Albus Dumbledore

Harry looked up from his letter, and into Ron's eyes.

" Ron, you read up to what in my letter?"

Ron gulped. That Dumbledore look again. That I-Know-All-Of-Your-Deepest-Secrets look.

" Just the third paragraph." Harry seemed satisfied with that answer, and he pulled out some parchment, ink, and a quill to reply to Dumbledore.

Professor Dumbledore;

No, Ron didn't read that far, but he was close. Neither of my friends know about the prophecy, and I really don't intend on telling them any time soon.

I was wondering just how many people know about the prophecy. Does the Order know? Do any of my professors know? Or is it just you and me?

And, in answer to your other letter, I know that it's not my fault, but I still feel that it is. It's sort of everyone's fault, but mostly mine. If I had just remembered the mirror, I would have contacted him, and he would have told me that he was fine. I was acting the hero.

I've realized that you and I are very much alike. We both have/had to defeat a dark lord. We both hated ourselves for a death… And we both at least try to understand how each other feel. I'm sure you've realized this before.

You're right; I think I do want isolation. At least for a while, so that I can finally understand the Prophecy.

Am I going to be able to go to you-know-where at the end of the summer? I understand why I have to go back to the Dursleys, but I don't want to. They aren't exactly nice to me.

Just how bad was the row between my friends?

Harry

He folded the letter and gave it to the owl that brought his other letter from Dumbledore. The owl zoomed off, and Harry turned to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in an uncomfortable silence.

Finally, breaking the silence, he said, " Dumbledore tells me you two had a row today." He was slightly smiling.

Ron and Hermione looked at eachother sheepishly.

" Well, to tell the truth, it was more like Hermione yelling at me…"

Hermione smiled. " …while Ron quivered in fear."

" Hey!" Ron exclaimed. " I did not!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. " Of course not, Ron." Harry gave a very weak smile.

" That's what Dumbledore owled you about? Our fight?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded, looking vaguely out the window to the mountains ahead of them. It scared Ron, because he looked almost as dreamy and vague as Luna for a second.

" Er… Harry?"

He wrenched his gaze and looked at Ron.

" Why did he want to know? What did he ask?" Hermione glared at Ron and nudged him in the ribs, and Neville and Ginny gave him meaningful looks.

Harry sighed, pretending not to notice that, and said softly, " He wanted to know if I'd told you guys something."

" And did you?" Luna asked, still reading The Quibbler upside down.

" No."  Harry said dully.

" W-were you supposed to?" Hermione asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

" No." He said again. " It's better I didn't tell you. You're safer this way." He said, and stared into Hermione, who shivered slightly. That was when she too realized that Harry had that searching, piercing look that Dumbledore always wore.

When Harry finally turned back to the window, Hermione looked at Ron with an astonished, Did-You-See-That? Look on her face. Ron nodded, showing her that he already saw it on Harry before.

They both looked at Ginny and Neville, who had the same looks on their faces. Luna didn't seem to realize.

Harry knew, of course, that they were giving eachother looks when his back was turned. He was used to it by now, being the Boy-Who-Lived.

" Er…Harry?" Ginny said.

" Yeah?" He answered, turning to her, and giving her that stare, making her unable to continue. Neville seemed to notice this, and he finished.

" You… you've got that look. That same look that Dumbledore has. That piercing look." Neville said, and almost shivered when Harry turned to him.

Harry seemed to either have already known this, or didn't seem to care. Little did they know that he had recently found it easy to mask his emotions, and he was secretly astonished that they said that.

" Do I? That's interesting…"

Harry had not wanted anyone to see how hurt and sad he had been feeling lately, so he thought of a way to hide his emotions on his face, just like Dumbledore.  The thought of Dumbledore gave him the idea in the first place, and so he practiced hard, though he found that it was very easy for him to do. He didn't think he was good enough to look like Dumbledore, though. He had thought that becoming as good as the headmaster would take years of practice.

" Harry… you're twinkling your eyes… just like Dumbledore… you're scaring me." Ron said cautiously.

Harry hadn't even realized that he had been doing that, but now that he thought about it, he could feel his eyes doing that. He forced them to stop, just like he'd practiced.

" Sorry, you guys. I…I didn't mean to scare you."

" Harry, how did you learn to do that? You looked just like Dumbledore, only your eyes are green. I swear, you're becoming more and more like Dumbledore!" Hermione said.

Harry simply shrugged, but in his mind, he was rejoicing. His training and hard work paid off. He could hide his face from even his friends.

" Want to play chess, Ron?"

Ron instantly lost his original train of thought, and he smiled and said, " Of course!"  Hermione, Neville, and Ginny rolled their eyes.