Chapter 4

Once the meeting had ended, Harry followed Ron and Hermione up to the room in silence. He could tell they were both thinking about what this meant, the Order recognized that it was their duty to stop Voldemort.

"Wow, we're real members now, aren't we," said Ron, the color had returned to him and he looked a bit happier with the situation.

"You're mum didn't seem too happy, I suppose she's scared isn't she," said Hermione slowly. Harry looked at her and saw that she too seemed a bit scared. "I mean, not that there's anything to be scared about is there, everything will be fine."

Before Harry could reassure her, they walked into their room and saw Ginny sitting on the bed. Now being the only one in the house who was not a member of the Order, she must get very lonely during the meetings.

"What happened, why did you get to go to the meeting?" Ginny asked, looking at Ron. She was deliberately avoiding Harry's eyes.

"We've been made members of the Order," said Ron.

"You? Why haven't I been made a member?"

"You're too young, it's dangerous," said Ron, reminding Harry of Mrs. Weasley.

"I'm sick of everyone telling me what I can and can't do! Stop protecting me!" she said, and although she still had not looked at Harry, he knew she was talking about him. He had broken up with her at the end of the school year to protect her. It was still one of the hardest things he had had to do. He didn't feel right about leading Ron and Hermione into danger, but they had proven they could take care of themselves. But, he thought, hadn't Ginny? She was with them at the Department of Mysteries, and she helped defend the school just last year. It's different with her, he thought, I care too much about her.

"I'm still wondering why they've made us members," said Hermione, deep in thought. Harry just realized they were still in the room with him, the thought of Ginny had removed the meeting from his thoughts.

"They told us, that Diggle bloke. It's because You-Know-Who had Malfoy, and I suppose they think he might have more spies," said Ron, sitting in the spot Ginny had been earlier.

"Oh Ron, you don't really think they'd need us for that. From what it sounds, they'll have plenty of members of the Order as teachers. I expect they'll have other reasons," said Hermione, sitting next to him.

"What do you think Harry? Harry? What's wrong?" Ron was looking at Harry now; he had kept his head down throughout the conversation.

"Is it Ginny?" Hermione asked calmly and Harry looked up at her.

"Yeah, what's up with her? She's been really sad lately, hasn't talked much since we got here. Figured seeing you would cheer her up a bit." Ron said, still looking at Harry.

"Well we've broken it off," said Harry, feeling a bit ashamed.

"Oh Harry you didn't. But why?" Hermione asked, with a concerned look on her face. Harry recognized this face whenever he made some sort of mistake with girls that Hermione clearly considered obvious.

"You both know how dangerous it's going to be. I don't want her involved in all that, she's got to stay out of danger," said Harry. It was a decision he still did not want to make, but he knew that it was necessary.

"Do you honestly think that she won't try to get involved? She takes after Fred and George mate, we can't really tell her what to do," Ron said. He seemed a bit angrier now, he had approved of them getting together and Harry supposed he was not happy to hear Harry had ended it.

"Well I think you're being stupid, but its your business," said Hermione, getting up.

"Where you off to then?" asked Ron.

"In case you hadn't noticed its past midnight, I'm off to bed."

Ron yawned and after realizing how late it was, climbed into bed. "Well, night Harry."

"Night." Harry was not feeling very tired, though. After Ron had fallen asleep he got out of bed, put his shoes back on and left the room. He didn't really have anywhere to go, he just didn't want to lie there, but he headed for the kitchen. He had almost entered when he heard voices inside, and stopped at the door to listen.

"Now they'll go off on some dangerous trip and get themselves killed." It was Mrs. Weasley's voice but it seemed shrill, as though she was crying.

It was Lupin's voice who answered, but far from comforting, it seemed hard and frustrated as though they had had this discussion before, "They would have gone off anyway. According to McGonagall, Harry wasn't even planning to return to Hogwarts."

"But why? What are they trying to do?"

"Minerva never said, but she did say that they would need all of us in some way."

"But why did you have to make them members of the Order?"

"It will give them more of a purpose if they know that we are behind them. Even if they don't want to tell us what they must do, at least they'll know they have our support."

"A purpose for what? They shouldn't be involved at all, they have been through too much already," cried Mrs. Weasley, who seemed to be in fits of despair.

"If Dumbledore felt that they must be involved, then we must trust them," shouted Lupin. Mrs. Weasley seemed to take it as a sign that the argument was over because she said nothing more, but Harry could still hear her sobbing.

He back away from the door slowly, turning to walk quietly back up the stairs. Careful not to wake Ron, he got back into his bed but still could not sleep. He had seen Mrs. Weasley's worst fears two years ago when she tried to get rid of a boggart. He distinctly remembered seeing his and Ron's dead body lying on the floor. Those feelings must be even greater now that they faced such immediate danger. None of them knew about the prophecy, about the horcruxes. He felt very grateful to Lupin and Mrs. Weasley for supporting him through something they did not understand. They were right, he thought, they could all die. He knew because of the prophecy that he would have to try to kill Voldemort, but it never foretold of who would defeat who.