An owl was waiting at the attic window when Ginny returned to her room that night. She let the handsome long-eared creature in and it hopped onto her bed. She untied the letter attached to its leg and it fluttered to the floor, then sipped water from one of Crookshanks' bowls.

Ginny opened the envelope and read;

Ginny,

Hope your summer is going well so far and you've managed to get plenty of Quidditch in!

Ginny snorted, and continued to read.

I've just about got all my homework done. Binns' is taking the longest. Aren't the Goblin Rebellions interesting though? How is your family? Are your brothers giving you grief?
Can't wait to hear from you,

Michael.

Ginny smiled down at the letter and sat on her bed, thinking about what to reply. She had met Michael Corner at the Yule Ball last year. After the initial disappointment of not being able to go with Harry, she had ended up having a really good night. Neville had introduced her to a group of students that had happened to include Ravenclaw's Michael Corner. He had been rather charming, having asked her to dance numerous times and, at the end of the night, he had invited her to the next Hogsmeade weekend with him. They had gotten along really well and Hermione had told her to go for it when Ginny had confided in her closest girlfriend.

"This will be really good for you," She had said, "Michael seems lovely!"

So, Operation 'Get- Over- Harry- Potter' had begun. It seemed to be working well. She felt much calmer about his impending arrival at Grimmauld Place. It would be rather nice not to desperately want to leave the room every time he walked into it, out of fear of embarrassing herself.

She had just put pen to paper when Hermione entered, holding her giant furball of a cat. The owl on the floor eyed it suspiciously, before vacating the floor and settling more comfortably on top of the wardrobe.

"Letter?" Hermione asked.

"It's from Michael," Ginny said, holding it up.

"Ooh, lets see!" Hermione giggled, depositing Crookshanks on her bed and sitting opposite Ginny, who handed her the letter and let her friend read.

"He's almost finished his work?" Hermione asked, glancing at her trunk. Hermione worked hard, into the early hours of the morning sometimes, on her homework; but she had been getting distracted lately with the Order, and cleaning the house.

"We can do some tomorrow." Ginny told her, taking the letter back.

"You'd probably be best telling him you've played so much Quidditch that you can't sit on a broomstick much more. We're not allowed to tell people where we are." Hermione said, getting up and pulling out her night clothes from her trunk.

"You know there are charms to stop discomfort like that," Ginny grinned.

Hermione laughed, "I know, but you get what I mean though?"

"I do," Ginny smiled, picking up the quill.

Hi Michael!

It's great thanks, the weather has been perfect for plenty of Quidditch in our orchard! It has been so much fun! So much so, I haven't really started my homework yet. I will try tomorrow though!

The family is great, everyone is really pleased to be back together again!

Ginny paused. Did she mention Percy here? No, that was much to personal for a first letter. It could wait.

Hope your family are well!

Speak soon,

Ginny x

She tied the letter to the waiting owl and it took off through the window, Ginny closing it after it. She found her own pyjamas and got ready for bed. Extinguishing the candles, she got into her bed and glanced over at the dark shape that was Hermione's bed.

"Did you hear any more on Harry?" Ginny asked her.

"Well it sounds like half the Order is going for him. I heard Tonks asking Moody about her broom on the way out."

"Do you know when?"

"No," Hermione said, "But I'm sure it'll be very soon."

She could almost sense Hermione's smirk at her in the darkness.

Ginny awoke with a start to a shriek from the next bed and a strangled yell from near the bedroom door. Bolting upright, she looked and saw a beautiful snowy owl with Hermione's hair grasped tightly in her talons while the owls wing was attempting to cuff Ron around the head, where he had backed up against the wall in alarm!

"GET HER OFF ME!" Hermione cried.

Hesitantly, Ron stepped forward and extended his arms to Hedwig. She rewarded him with a sharp nip to his index finger which began to bleed rapidly.

Ginny jumped out of bed and hurried over as Crookshanks jumped up onto Hermione's legs, a dead rat clutched in his mouth.

Hermione screamed.

"Crookshanks, drop!" Ginny commanded.

Crookshanks released the creature and Ginny picked it up by its tail, trying to hide her disgust.

"Hedwig, look!" Ginny called.

The owl was momentarily hypnotised by the meal swinging from Ginny's hand. Ginny flung it onto the top of the wardrobe and Hedwig followed it, releasing Hermione and catching Ron in the face with a wing.

"What on earth was that about?" Ginny asked, staring curiously up at the bird.

"I have no idea," Ron said, sucking his injured finger, "she was at my window so I let her in and she had three letters; one for me, one for Hermione and one for Sirius."

He held up two scrolls in his uninjured hand and Ginny saw another laying in Hermione's lap.

"I was putting it in my bag and she just took hold of me!" Hermione wailed, "This is why I chose a cat in the end!"

"Oh yes, because he's perfect!" Ron scowled at Crookshanks, who was still watching Ginny with a look of ultimate betrayal. She would have to make it up to the cat for stealing his breakfast.

"So, you were just putting the letter in your bag?" Ginny asked, trying to divert from a potential row between her brother and best friend.

"Yes," Hermione said.

Ginny picked the letter up and looked down at Harry's untidy scrawl. It was messier than usual; this had obviously been written in a hurry.

I've just been attacked by Dementors and I might be expelled from Hogwarts. I want to know what's going on and when I'm going to get out of here.

"What does yours say?" Ginny asked Ron.

"Exactly the same," He told her.

"I'm guessing Sirius' does too?" She asked.

Ron shrugged, "Probably."

Ginny glanced up at Hedwig who had her back to them and was noisily tearing strips of the carcass.

"Were either of you replying to the letter?" Ginny asked, still watching the owl.

"We aren't allowed to, are we?" Hermione sighed, "That's why I was putting it away."

Ginny began to smile and turned her back on the other two.

"I think she might have been following orders," she chuckled.

"Come again?" Ron asked.

Realisation dawned on Hermione's face, however, and she gasped.

"Ron," she whispered, "I think we might have underestimated just how angry Harry is going to be!"

Ron gulped.