::A/N:: Okay so here's the third installment of SotP. It's a bit short, but this is a plot-enhancer chapter as well as some action for Harry/Ginny fans. Part 4 probably won't be coming until after next Friday (May 28th). Sorry but my uncle is getting married this weekend so I'll be traveling, and next week I have finals! But thank you to all my reviewers for their patience and awesome reviews! Keep 'em coming!

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Everyone was very relaxed since they were on vacation, and Ron's grandmother knew how to make an excellent chocolate pie. Harry was just finishing his second helping of it when he heard Ron's grandfather quietly ask Mr. Weasley how the plans with the Order were coming. Harry pretended to listen to Ron and Hermione bickering, but he strained his hearing to listen to the adults talk.

"Dumbledore thinks You-Know-Who is going to take a much more direct path of action, now that the Ministry finally knows he's back," Mr. Weasley was saying.

"He thinks the Death Eaters will cause a problem, so he really supported the idea of getting—well, you know—out of the country," Lupin whispered.

"Does Dumbledore really believe they'll act this soon?" Ron's grandmum inquired.

"Oh yes…and Dumbledore is afraid that—since the incident at the Ministry last month—You-Know-Who might be aware of other routes to the boy."

"What do you—?"

"You-Know-Who has realized how important Harry's friends are to him, Mum. Ron and Ginny and Hermione helped him fight the Death Eaters last month, and now that they've broken out of Azkaban, I'm sure they will feed this information to You-Know-Who," Mr. Weasley said as quietly as possible. Harry heard Grandmum Weasley give a tiny gasp.

"So you're saying…" she began.

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley interrupted with a trembling voice. "Yes, all the children are in danger." She said this in a very downcast way, and Harry felt more guilt rise up inside him than ever before.

So now I've put my best friends in danger too, he thought. It's my fault Sirius is dead, and if Voldemort gets one of them it will be all my fault too. Harry's chocolate pie didn't look so tempting anymore.

"That's not true! Harry, tell him how thick he's being," Hermione said, turning to him.

"Sorry—what?" Harry said blankly.

"Oh never mind. Ron, I really don't see why it's such a big deal, why don't you just—"

"It's a big deal because he's a blibbering git, Hermione!" Ron said loudly.

"You don't even know him! Viktor is one of the nicest people I've ever met, and he's a very interesting person to talk to!"

"Interesting? What did he do that was so interesting!? He's a grouchy git!"

"He's more interesting than you've ever been, and I don't see how you can call him grouchy when you're the one who's always complaining about him!" Hermione yelled. She stood up, pushed in her chair, and walked upstairs with her fists clenched. The adults all looked up from their intense conversation just in time to see Hermione fuming and Ron looking like he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong.

"Ron, you are such a prat sometimes!" Ginny said.

"Me! What did I do?" Ron replied angrily.

"Ronnie did you upset Hermione again?" Mrs. Weasley asked in an exasperated tone.

"I didn't do anything! Why are you all acting like it's my fault?" Ron shouted. He stood up just as Hermione had and stomped out of the kitchen.

"Teenagers," said Grandfather Weasley wisely. "Hormones always make them act completely out of whack."

Harry helped Ginny clear the dessert plates, and then the two of them headed outside to relax on the back porch. There was a pleasant light breeze blowing as Harry settled himself into a cushioned wicker chair with a glass of water.

"I really can't believe Ron sometimes," Ginny said bitterly.

"What were they fighting about, anyway?" Harry asked.

"Viktor…again. He sent Hermione a letter the other day and she was telling me about it at dinner and Ron overheard and…well, you saw what happened. Weren't you listening to them?"

"Er…no, I was kind of distracted," said Harry, trying to sound off-handed.

"Oh," said Ginny, giving him an odd look. "Well, I really wish they would stop fighting."

"Me too," said Harry. "They drive me mad sometimes."

"I know what you mean. Anyway, how was your first day?"

"Pretty good," said Harry, trying to sound cheerful.

"You seem upset about something," Ginny said, searching his face. Harry didn't say anything. "Harry, you can tell me. I know I'm not as good a friend to you as Ron or Hermione, but I care about you just as much as they do."

"Ginny, have you ever…regretted being my friend?" he began slowly.

"Of course not," she replied.

"It's just…sometimes I feel like I put everyone in so much danger. You know, being Voldemort's main target and everything. I can't help but think of the effect it has on all my friends."
"Harry," Ginny said seriously. "Don't ever think for one second that we wouldn't want to be friends with you."

"But don't you ever think of all the danger I put you in?" Harry said desperately.

"Of course I do. But Harry, I'd rather be your friend and die, than be someone like Percy and live." Harry looked up at the stars. Ginny's words were somewhat comforting to him, but Harry still felt an immense sense of guilt.

"Ginny," said Harry, looking up at the heavens, "do you see that star right there? That's the dog star. That's Sirius' star." Ginny glanced up to where Harry was pointing, and then brought her gaze back to him.

"You know, it's not your fault he died," Ginny said, looking at him intently. Harry continued to gaze skyward. "Harry, you know it isn't. You and Sirius are both victims of a horrible scheme. It's not your fault. Everything is Voldemort's fault," she said in a whisper.

Harry stared at her. He didn't know that Ginny actually used Voldemort's name.

"What," she said with a slight laugh, "didn't think I was brave enough to say his name?"

"Well…it's just that Ron doesn't," Harry answered.

"I'm a bit different from Ron," she said with a smile. "For starters, I'm a girl." She gave him a mischievous glance when she said this, and Harry couldn't understand why his stomach was suddenly feeling an emotion different from guilt.

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