Two weeks later, Harry was sitting on the train to Hogwarts. He had never made up with Ron and Hermione, so he was sitting all alone. He really didn't want to go back to school, because that would mean that he would probably get himself into some big mess, and someone else would die... Someone was standing next to him. He looked up at Cho. "Do you mind if I sit here?"
Harry smiled "Go ahead." she sat down beside him.
"Is everything okay with your friend? He looked really upset when he saw me."
"Yeah." Harry explained everything that had happened between him and Ron.
"I'm sorry. I was so worried when I heard that you were attacked by those things, and I had to see if you were alright." Harry nodded, but then he thought of something. How had she known that he had been attacked? It wasn't exactly in the paper... was it?
"Cho? How did you know that I was attacked?"
"My dad's in the Order."
Harry's jaw dropped. "What?"
"My dad is in the Order of the Phoenix. Don't you know what that is?"
"Yeah but... your dad's in the Order?"
"Yes that's what I said. He's a new member. They talk about you a lot, and he likes to talk about his work at home, so if I get him talking I can learn anything." Harry nodded again. If she knew about the Order, then maybe she knew about Sirius. Harry had really wanted to talk about that.
"Do you know about Sirius Black?"
"What about him?"
"About what happened last year."
She nodded. "Yes I do. And I know that he was very special to you." She moved closer to him and hugged him. "You must miss him a lot."
"Yeah. It was kind of my fault that he died."
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was. If I wouldn't have gone to the ministry, then he wouldn't have come with the Order to save me, and he would have never died." Cho looked up at him.
"Harry we all make stupid mistakes. But you weren't the one holding the wand. You didn't hurt him at all." Harry put his arms around her and held her tight. He felt a lot better knowing that he could talk to Cho. They sat there for the longest time, holding each other as if they'd die if they let go. Then Ginny came in.
"Do you mind if we sit here?" Neville and Luna were standing behind her. "Ron and Hermione are in the only other open compartment, and they aren't very friendly right now."
Harry and Cho nodded. "What are they doing now?" Harry asked
"Well Ron's still being an egotistical stupid git, and Hermione is trying to make him make up with you, so you can imagine the arguing." Harry felt a little better. At least Hermione was on his side. The three of them sat down. They were all silent. Luna was reading an edition of the Quibbler, Ginny was reading a book, Neville was looking out the window, and Harry and Cho were still holding each other. Harry watched Neville. He remembered what Dumbledore had said about the Prophecy. He wondered if Neville knew, or if he was ever going to be told. He'd probably freak out, Harry thought. Neville, knowing that he might have to fight Voldemort... he was scared to death of Snape...
"Harry?" Ginny asked. "Do you want to play chess?"
"Sure." Harry let go of Cho. "Do you know how to play?"
"Ron tried to teach me, but you know he gets mad at me a lot, so I didn't learn much. But I'm pretty good." She pulled a chess board and pieces out of her trunk. Harry could tell that she wasn't very good; he beat her in three moves. He agreed to a rematch, and beat her again. Ginny gave up and Cho stepped in, but Harry beat her too.
"Oh move over!" Luna said. "One of us has to beat him!" But Harry beat her too. The three girls tried to get Neville to play, even though he kept saying that he wasn't any good. Eventually he agreed to try to beat Harry. The game had just begun, when Neville took Harry's king and won.
"Wait how did you -"
"Ha ha he beat you Harry!" Ginny said.
"No we're playing again!" They played again, and again Neville beat him. "Wait, how are you doing that? I thought you weren't any good!"
"Apparently he lied!" Luna said.
"Wait one more time." Harry said, but Neville beat him again. The girls were cheering for Neville, who had turned bright red. "Alright you win."
Cho came over to Harry and hugged him. "Don't worry. We'll find something that you're good at... someday..." she giggled.
"Shut up." Harry said as he pushed her away.
"Sorry honey."
"Woo! Honey? So that's who it was!" said Ginny. Harry threw a chess piece at her. The girls giggled and started to talk about girlish things. They had just gotten to why boys are so difficult when the train stopped. "We'll continue this later." Ginny said to Cho on their way out. Luna, Neville, and Harry followed. Harry passed Ron and Hermione on his way to a carriage, but he didn't even look in their direction. He felt someone grab his arm.
"Come on!" said Cho. She pulled him into a carriage that already had Ginny in it.
"So where were we?" Ginny said, but she stopped because Hermione had climbed into their carriage.
"Hermione what are you doing?" Ron asked. "Get out of there before -"
"No Ron I'm not going to let you boss me around anymore. I would like to be friends with Harry again and if you don't, then you can find a new girlfriend." She closed the carriage door in his face.
Harry looked out the window at Ron. He looked like he was just abandoned by his last friend. Harry reached around Cho and opened the door.
"Get in here." he said to Ron.
"What?"
"You heard me. Get in here before we leave you here." Ron climbed in and sat between Ginny and Hermione. Cho and Ginny went back to their conversation, but no one else talked. Harry hoped that he and Ron could make up, because he didn't want to be mad at his best friend, especially if they were going to be on the same quidditch team together.