Chapter 8 – A Course is Set

It was with a high level of excitement that Harry stepped into the Floo Connection to return to Grimmauld Place that Saturday for his first official meeting of the Order of the Phoenix.

The meeting of the Order which had occurred when he had previously stayed at Grimmauld had allowed him a glimpse of the Order's goals, and of course the twins' Extendable Ears had allowed them to eavesdrop a certain extent. But now he was to be considered a part of the Order—or, at least, a prospective part. For a young man such as Harry, who had grown up in a miserable environment, it was a large step—and a particularly welcome one. He had never had the opportunity to determine the direction in which he wished his life to proceed, and though he supposed young people normally did as their parents directed, at least most of them would have had a little more autonomy than he had ever enjoyed.

The thought of his new betrothal was an example of his discontent and inability to choose the course of his own life. He understood Sirius' reasons, and he understood the way these things often worked in the extremely old-fashioned society in which the wizarding world existed. It still did not make it any easier to have that choice completely torn away, regardless of the good intentions or potential advantages the match would bring. His only comfort was that it had taken no time at all to conclude that Fleur was a fine young woman, to be esteemed for who she was rather than what she was. Even so, he was still struggling to come to terms with the fact that he was now tied to her for life.

This meeting was, so far as he could remember, the first time in which he was to be included and his opinion sought. It was heady for a young man who was anxious and determined to be seen as a young man rather than to be referred to as "the boy," as his uncle had always called him.

He stumbled only slightly upon exiting the Floo—a fact which he noted with some pride, not to mention a certain relief—and was greeted by his friends. Hermione, Fleur, and the younger Weasley siblings were to be included in the meeting as well. Neville and Luna, who were of age with Harry and engaged in the training, were excluded for the time being, not only due to their lack of knowledge about the Order in the first place, but also because Dumbledore was uncertain whether their guardians would approve of their inclusion. Depending upon their level of skill and whether they ultimately were deemed trustworthy—which Harry felt certain they were—he intended to speak with Dumbledore when the time was right about their inclusion.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as soon as he appeared. He found himself immediately engulfed in one of her trademark hugs, which, he reflected, were very warm and comforting, much like Hermione herself.

When the young brunette witch released him, he grinned at her before turning to greet the Weasleys, noting the congenial smile on Ginny's face, the twins' irrepressible grins, and Ron's own broad smile. By then, Apolline, Jean-Sebastian, Fleur, and Sirius—who had insisted on attending—had emerged from the Floo. The adults smiled at the youngsters before making their way from the room, leaving Fleur and her betrothed in the care of the others.

The group engaged in small talk for a few moments, most of the conversation seeming to center around what had happened since they had all been together last—as though they had not seen one another at Moody's training session only the day before. Unfortunately for Harry, the twins made certain to exact their pound of flesh, teasing him about being cooped up in that great big mansion with only his incredibly gorgeous fiancée for company. Harry bore it as best he could and found, to his delight, that the most effective method of deterring them from their fun was to tease them back about their own inability to find themselves a "gorgeous witch" of their own. Needless to say, the banter was friendly and playful, and Fleur's judicious use of her allure at the right moment—thereby turning the young men into gibbering imbeciles—helped Harry get the better of the exchange.

Their time together was interrupted by Sirius, who poked his head into the room after several minutes had passed. "Showtime, everyone!" was his ebullient declaration.

Eagerly, the seven young people traded glances, and as one, they moved from the room. The house at Grimmauld was large and dark, but a few rooms had been made almost habitable by their efforts at cleaning it earlier that month. They were led to one of those rooms. It was a large sitting room, and it had been cleared of all the old, ghoulish furniture, which had been replaced with a number of chairs and a small, portable lectern in one of the corners. The order members all appeared to be there, and though Harry was familiar with some—such as his former DADA professor Remus Lupin—there were a great many faces which he did not recognize.

They were directed toward a group of chairs nearest the lectern and took their seats gingerly, an amused Harry noting that his friends were all as excited and nervous as he himself felt. Unfortunately, the first test of their fortitude was made almost before they were able to seat themselves.

"Ron, what are you and your friends doing here?" Mrs. Weasley demanded, rising to her feet and stalking to the front of the room until she stood in front of the teenagers, her hands on her hips, and her eyes filled with a fiery indignation.

Ron was nonplused by his mother's displeasure—he had seen her unhappy enough times to know when his mother was in danger of experiencing a serious eruption.

Seeing his friend in this state, Harry answered for him. "We were invited, Mrs. Weasley."

Though her eyes narrowed for a moment, Mrs. Weasley's expression soon softened, and she smiled. Unfortunately, her smile seemed to be full of condescension, and it immediately annoyed Harry.

"Harry, dear, there must have been some mistake," Mrs. Weasley answered. "This is a meeting of the Order, not some lark for school children. You are all too young to be here. Now run along and keep each other company while we discuss what is to be done. We will talk about your behavior after the meeting."

"Ah, but they were invited," interjected Jean-Sebastian. A quick glance by Harry at his new guardian revealed that Jean-Sebastian still sat in his seat, seemingly at ease, but Harry, who had started to get to know the man, could tell his seriousness in the intensity of his gaze, and the tone of his voice.

"Your headmaster and I discussed the matter at some length and agreed that the young people are ready for the burden, particularly with the fact that some of them have faced your dark lord more than once."

"They are too young," Mrs. Weasley insisted. "They should not have to bear the burden that is rightfully ours as their guardians."

"Harry and his friends appear to have been targeted specifically by Voldemort," Jean-Sebastian countered. "As a result, they will be on the front lines of this fight before long. Besides, Harry himself has faced—and triumphed—over Voldemort more than once since he returned to your world, and as such, he deserves to know what is happening. How many times have you faced the Dark Lord?"

Mrs. Weasley's eyes were mere slits by now, her displeasure evident for the entire room to see. Jean-Sebastian, however, affected not to notice this, as he continued to regard her with a slightly less than friendly expression.

"My wife and I," he said, gesturing to Apolline, "have decided to attend this meeting in order to determine whether we will support your order. The safety of my family is paramount, as I am certain is the case with yours as well. Thus far, I have been impressed with your people and your methods, but I can tell you that your attitude is not helping matters."

A loud sniff of disdain met his declaration, but Mrs. Weasley, though she obviously would have preferred to protest further, had sensed she would not be able to carry the point.

"I am sure I do not know how you raise your children in France, but here we do not allow our children to face danger when it is our duty to protect them."

She fixed her stare on the children. "Harry, I cannot force you to leave because of your guardian," she spat the word with some disdain and a glare at the French ambassador, "but my own children will not attend. Boys, Ginny, Hermione, you will leave now and return to your rooms. I will meet you upstairs later to discuss your defiance."

"In France, we allow our children to grow and give them more responsibilities as they do so in order for them to gain experience, Mrs. Weasley," Jean-Sebastian snapped, all pretense toward friendliness now gone.

"Mrs. Weasley, you are not my guardian," Hermione quietly said. "I will stay with Harry."

Mrs. Weasley had just rounded on the girl when her husband stepped forward and took her by the arm, leading her back to her chair. "Dumbledore and Jean-Sebastian spoke to me about the children's inclusion, Molly, and I agreed. Now, let's sit down and wait for the headmaster."

"Indeed, we did speak of it, Molly," the voice of Dumbledore intoned as he entered the room. "Harry and his friends have shown remarkable maturity in meeting the challenges they have come up against, and I believe that they will bring a fresh perspective to our deliberations.

"Now, if everyone is ready," he continued, striding up to the lectern, "I believe we should call this meeting to order."

The room quieted, and the meeting began, much to Harry's relief. He had not expected Mrs. Weasley's objections, though he likely should have. He knew she was a good woman who had the best of intentions and a genuine care for his—and the others'—welfare, but she also had certain opinions and was very strong-willed. That did not stop her from seeming overbearing at times, and he found he did occasionally resent her tendency to think she knew best. However, he could not overlook the welcome she had always given him and the fact that she had often treated him as one of her own. He did not take pleasure in her set-down, but he was glad his friends had all been able to stay for the meeting.

The meeting turned out to be more of a general planning session than the council of war Harry had been imagining in his mind. The first topic of discussion was security, which for obvious reasons was a primary concern. Grimmauld Place, which was under a Fidelius Charm, was as safe as magic could make it, as long as the secret keeper kept it from the enemy. As Dumbledore himself was the secret keeper, there was virtually no possibility of their security being breached. However, the Burrow, the various members' residences, and the Granger home were all considered to be softer targets which the enemy could exploit. There was some discussion about the Ambassador's Mansion, but as the residence was under heavy warding of its own—and as there were several French Aurors present—it was deemed to be safe enough for the present. In addition to this, there was a guarded Floo Connection to the French Floo Network, which allowed an escape route should the defenses be overwhelmed.

As for the other locations, it was decided that Bill Weasley—being very familiar with warding schemes due to his employment as a Gringotts curse breaker—would be drafted into providing improved wards at all order member locations, including Hermione's parents' house. Mad-Eye Moody would assist him in this endeavor. In addition, all members and their families would carry emergency Portkeys to allow them a quick escape should a situation become untenable.

From there, the discussion moved to the subject of the Ministry and Fudge's likely response to his defeat in Harry's trial. A tall, dark-skinned man—who was introduced as Kingsley Shacklebolt—stood to give his report of the current state in the Ministry.

"Thus far, Minister Fudge has done nothing to increase the Auror budget, and the hiring of new Aurors is proceeding as it ever was—in other words, there is no budget for hiring any additional help to combat the threat of You-Know-Who. The official policy within the Ministry is that Harry is lying and trying to stir up trouble. Minister Fudge has authorized a press release for tomorrow which is aimed at discrediting Harry and reassuring the public that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has not returned and that we are all safe."

"Is he mad?" a woman from the back row demanded.

"No, he's a politician," Sirius replied with a cynical laugh. "Fudge only cares about his public image and the amount of money in his pocket, and war is bad for business. By denying You-Know-Who's return, he can continue to keep the money rolling into his vault."

"Unfortunately, that's a pessimistic, but accurate statement, Sirius," Dumbledore confirmed. "In spite of my advice, Minister Fudge refuses to listen and will take no action which will appear to confirm the Voldemort's return in any way. Nor will he authorize any investigation into Harry's claims. It is clear he has chosen to hide his head in the sand and will do nothing unless forced.

"The Wizengamot is fractured, with few of the factions agreeing on any matter, and certainly not enough to come to a consensus. I have had private conversations with various Wizengamot members over the past few days and have determined that I do not have the votes to have Fudge removed from office. Therefore, I believe the burden of opposing Voldemort will fall to the order until we can influence some change in leadership."

The room fell silent as the members absorbed that piece of news. It was not unexpected—Fudge had made his position very clear, after all—but to have it confirmed was certainly not welcome in any way.

"For now, as Voldemort must gain his strength and marshal his forces, our missions will likely be confined to intelligence gathering, but the longer the Ministry goes without making any sort of preparations, the less tenable our situation will be. We must come up with some way to force the Ministry to take the threat seriously, as I have no doubt that we do not have the resources to prosecute a war against Voldemort ourselves."

"It's possible that we may be able to get Madam Bones to support a more active response to the Death Eaters," Shacklebolt suggested. "She's pragmatic, no nonsense, and just a little disgusted with Fudge in general."

"That is an option," Mr. Weasley said with a hint of wariness. "But she would have to be careful to fly her broom close to the ground. If Fudge gets wind of what she is doing, he may even have her replaced, and to do that now with You-Know-Who on the rise would be disastrous."

"I can speak with Madam Bones," said Dumbledore. "She will understand the need to keep her actions quiet, and I have every confidence in her ability to withstand Death Eater attacks for the time being. Does anyone have anything else to bring up?"

"Sir?" Harry asked a little diffidently. He felt he had something to share, but to do so under the eyes of the entire gathering during his first meeting was a little intimidating.

"Yes, Harry?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"I was thinking, sir—everything I've seen of the Minister says that he's not going to admit he was wrong unless he's forced into it. I don't know how, but he'd almost have to see Voldemort for himself before he'd believe it. Is there some way we can force a confrontation?"

Dumbledore was silent for several moments, and speculative murmurs sprung up throughout the room. Harry glanced to Hermione by his side, noting that she was smiling at him in approval. He returned the grin and turned his attention back to the headmaster.

"At present, I doubt Voldemort can be lured from his lair," Dumbledore said, appearing deep in thought. "However, that doesn't mean that your idea does not have merit. There may be an opportunity at some point, and if such does present itself, we will need to be ready to seize it. Very good thinking, Harry."

Flushing at the praise, Harry nodded his thanks and settled in for the rest of the meeting. The rest of the time passed as they discussed the Order's strategy and the different assignments which Dumbledore gave to members of the group. For now, it appeared that they were very much waiting to see what the enemy would do, while attempting to counter whatever the Death Eaters threw at them. It was perhaps not the ideal position, but it was the best they had for the present.

The meeting broke up soon after that, and though there was much uncertainty over Voldemort's plans and the state of the Ministry, Harry was convinced that someone was doing what was possible to mitigate the danger. He was especially pleased that the Order was taking steps to protect its members—especially the Grangers, who would have no wards to protect them whatsoever. He knew how devastated Hermione would be if she lost her parents…

Though she said not a word, Mrs. Weasley's disdainful glance at the children as she left the room spoke volumes. Harry almost sighed—she clung to her beliefs tenaciously, and there was precious little he could do to change them. He decided not to be concerned, however; he was certain she would eventually come around. At the very least, he did not live at Grimmauld any longer, so he would be able to avoid her if she was unpleasant.

The best part of the night, in Harry's opinion, was the discussion between the headmaster and Jean-Sebastian before they returned to the Ambassador's Mansion. One of his greatest fears had been that his guardian would not agree with the Order's goals and would strike out on his own, putting Harry in a difficult position. Their conversation ended any chance of that happening.

"Well, Jean-Sebastian, I hope that this meeting calmed your fears and that you will continue to work with us."

Jean-Sebastian smiled at Dumbledore and indicated his acquiescence with a slight bow. "It has. Anything you need from me will be provided."

"Very well, then."

Dumbledore excused himself to go, leaving the rest of the occupants of the room to mill about and speak to one another about the meeting they had just left. Harry particularly enjoyed speaking a few moments with his friends. Things were looking up for him, and he was looking forward to continuing to get to know his new family better.

In another part of the old house, Molly Weasley fumed about the situation and the loss of all her plans. This latest straw—having that awful Mr. Delacour set her down in front of the children—was just another reason for her to dislike him. The children were too young—they needed to step back and allow the adults to take care of them, as was their right and duty.

What Molly did not acknowledge, even to herself, was her fear. She had not escaped the first war unscathed—few had—and though she would largely not acknowledge it even to herself, she was afraid of once again going through the heartbreak of losing another loved one to that damned dark lord. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been directly responsible for the deaths of her twin brothers, and the ache she felt at their loss, though dulled with time, was still keenly felt. She wanted to keep the children safe at all costs, and it was very difficult to admit that they were growing up and could take care of themselves.

That Harry, a young man of whom she was genuinely fond, was now in a better home situation was something to be glad about, as personally distasteful as she found the Delacours. He was closemouthed about his experiences during his childhood, but she suspected that the Muggles he had lived with were, at the very least, apathetic toward him, not caring for him in the manner that they should have.

It still rankled, however, that if he should leave their care, then he would not be put in hers. She was far better known to the boy than the Delacours and was able to provide a far healthier environment for his upbringing than they could, she was certain. And that betrothal…

The mere thought of the fact that Harry was betrothed filled Molly with indignation, especially since it was to that hussy! Harry was perfect for Ginny! He had saved her in the chamber, for Merlin's sake—it bespoke to his noble and self-sacrificing nature, which was all Molly wanted for her only daughter, and in her mind, it tied them together with an unbreakable bond. Of course, it would not hurt that the boy's social and financial situation could only bolster that of the Weasleys'—Harry truly did not completely understand the stature he could command in their world, not only due to his status as the Boy-Who-Lived, but also because of the fact that the Potters had a very old name and had always been influential. Their substantial wealth did not hurt matters either.

But Harry's stature and birthright were secondary to all other concerns. Ginny was her baby, and since Ginny had been a little girl, she had idolized the Boy-Who-Lived and fantasized about marrying him. And since that was what Ginny wanted, Molly had been determined that she would help her only daughter to achieve that goal, whatever it took. This contract with the French witch all but put that notion to rest, unless Ginny were to consider a multiple marriage with the young man.

She continued to chew upon the issue, worrying at it from every side she could think of, but nothing presented itself. No matter how she approached the situation in her mind, there was nothing she could do. Harry Potter was, for all intents and purposes, engaged to Fleur Delacour, and there was nothing to be done about it.

"Come to bed, Molly," the voice of her husband startled her from her thoughts. She glanced around, and noting the time on the clock, she wondered at how long she had stewed, thinking about her daughter and the boy whom she considered as good as a son.

She swiftly prepared herself for sleep and joined her husband in their bed, lifting the blankets to her chin while letting out a long sigh of frustration. Arthur, who knew her better than anyone else, regarded her in silence before breaking it with a gentle remonstrance.

"Molly, I understand you are not happy about this betrothal business, but I believe it is truly in Harry's best interests at this point."

"How can you say that?" Molly demanded. "How can that… that… girl be good for Harry, who is the gentlest, nicest boy I have ever met? We know nothing about her, Arthur, and being a Veela, she is almost certainly a scarlet woman!"

"You know no such thing," Arthur reprimanded. "Everything I've seen of her suggests that she is quiet and pleasant. There is no reason to vilify her."

Arthur regarded her for a moment, his eyes intent, and Molly was reminded of the fact that though her husband often appeared to be oblivious and intent upon his eccentric interests, he was an intelligent man, and not entirely blind to what was occurring around him.

"Now, what is this all about, Molly?" he asked. His tone, while gentle and affectionate, was also commanding—he was not about to let this go without a fight.

"Arthur, you know Ginny has always idolized Harry. She is very upset about this betrothal, and I am upset for her—she and Harry would be perfect together if not for these Delacours interfering."

"Are you forgetting Sirius, love? He was the instigator of this in the first place."

"Yes, Sirius had a hand in it, and though I do not like it, I am well aware of the fact that he is only trying to do his best for Harry. He should have consulted us—what can an unmarried man of his age, who has spent the last decade of his life in prison, know about raising a young boy?"

Arthur sighed and snuggled closer into his wife, a movement which she returned, feeling somewhat comforted by his presence.

"Molly, Ginny has never idolized Harry—she idolized the Boy-Who-Lived. It is only recently that she has begun to see him for himself rather than for his fame.

"And if I may be so bold, I'd like to point out that she appears to be handling this better than you are."

"But, Arthur—"

"No, Molly," Arthur interrupted, using a firm tone he rarely used with her. "You need to step back and allow the children to live their lives. If Ginny is meant to be with Harry, I do not doubt that she will still end up with him—he is a prime candidate for a multiple marriage, after all.

"And besides, I think you're missing the reaction of another who is much closer to Harry than Ginny has ever been."

Molly turned her puzzled gaze on her husband. "Pardon me?"

Arthur chuckled quietly. "You've been so focused on Ginny that I'm not surprised you missed it. Though she's handled it very well, I believe that Hermione has been just as upset with the betrothal as Ginny—if not more so."

"Hermione?" Molly demanded.

"Yes, Molly. I think our little resident bookworm has fancied Harry for some time now. It's hardly surprising, if you think about it—they are practically inseparable."

Was it true? How could she have missed such a thing? Unless, of course, her normally somewhat distracted husband was completely mistaken. But if he was not mistaken, then what about…

"But Arthur, what about Ronnie?"

"Yes, I've noticed Ron's infatuation with Hermione, too," Arthur confirmed with a smile.

"Arthur, Ron would be so disappointed to learn that Hermione has feelings for Harry. I can't bear to have two children upset."

"You have no choice, Molly," replied Arthur firmly. "They have their own choices and must live their own lives. Besides, despite Ron's feelings, I truly doubt that he and Hermione could cease their frequent disagreements long enough to come to an understanding of such significance. I'm afraid they are not well suited to one another at all."

It was only the truth, Molly had to admit. Much as she loved all of her children, she was not blind to Ron's faults, and she knew that a driven and intelligent young woman such as Hermione—who shared virtually no common interests with him—would not likely develop feelings for Ron under such circumstances. Ron had undoubtedly improved over the years—and she could only admit the influence that Hermione and Harry had exerted had much to do with it—but he still had a certain amount of growing to do.

"Now, Molly, I must have your word on this—you must not interfere. The children must be free to live their own lives with whomever they wish. Leave them alone, my dear—I have no doubt they will work it out themselves."

Molly murmured her agreement, which seemed to satisfy her husband, and within minutes, he was snoring softly. In the back of her mind, however, she could not help but worry the situation like a dog with a bone. There must be something she could do to save her daughter from heartache. She would have to continue to think on it.

The next week after the Order meeting saw a slight change in the training program. While Moody continued to drill them in stances, avoiding curses, and the proper way to move about a battlefield, he also began to move them toward learning more about curses and hexes which they would use in a duel. He was very blunt with them, telling them all he was covering months of training in the period of a few days. However, it was necessary, for, as he told them, they did not have months and months to prepare. Once they arrived at school, they would need to continue to practice what they had learned, and they could call on the headmaster (when he was available) or Professor Flitwick (who had been considered a master duelist in his youth). Next year, he told them, he would continue on with their training in the summer.

The other circumstance which changed was the fact that from Monday of that week, the entire group Flooed to the manor with their trunks, as it had been decided that they would stay the entire week there rather than returning after their sessions were complete. It had been a joint idea put forth by Fleur and Harry. It afforded them more time with their friends and helped build their level of camaraderie. Harry particularly was happy to have his friends there for longer, and Fleur, though she was still getting to know Harry's friends, welcomed the opportunity to do so more quickly.

In fact, by the end of the first week, Hermione had all but moved into the manor and away from Grimmauld Place. Her parents had visited the Delacours the day after the Order meeting—with Hermione joining them, of course—and had come to stay the final weekend of the summer as well, meaning Hermione stayed for that weekend as well.

In the Grangers, Harry found a couple who genuinely cared about their daughter's wellbeing and happiness, and as a consequence, they had accepted wholeheartedly her status as a witch, even though it had seriously curbed the time they were able to spend with their daughter. They took to Harry immediately as Hermione's closest friend, and it was not long before he was calling them by name—William and Elizabeth.

Of course, this arrangement was also the cause of a certain amount of discontent in their group as well. Specifically, the Weasley children, who were there at their mother's rather grudging acceptance, were absolutely refused when they applied to their parents to stay the last weekend of the summer with the Delacours as well. It was understood by all that although the given reason for Mrs. Weasley's refusal was the fact that she would not see her children again until Christmas, a rather large consideration was the fact that she truly did not like the Delacours and would prefer her children spent as little time with them as possible. She was barely tolerant of her children training with "those foreign people" at all.

The twins took this decision rather stoically—most of the rest of the group were younger than they were, after all, and they decided they could plot their pranks from Grimmauld place more effectively anyway. Ginny, though disappointed that she was not to spend more time with her friends—including Harry, who she was coming to know on a more personal basis—was also philosophical about it. She would be in their company for the next several months, and she was happy to spend some more time with her parents.

The true difficulty was Ron. He was decidedly unhappy that his request had been denied and had complained loud and long on the matter. His mother was not to be moved, however, and Ron spent the entire weekend at Grimmauld Place seething, angry over the loss of his time with Hermione and imagining everything that Harry might be getting up to with her.

For Hermione's part, she was rather suspicious of Ron. He had seemingly changed overnight, and though the change could be said to be for the better, there almost seemed to be a forced quality to it. He was much more considerate of her feelings, for instance, and he rarely provoked a disagreement with her. There had been times, however, when he had appeared to be on the verge of an explosion and had curbed his natural tendency just in time. The rest of the time, he paid a lot of attention to her, flattering her with comments and giving her awkward little gifts. It was almost like he had someone coaching him and was now set on making a move upon her. It was most disconcerting to the young woman who had rarely attracted such attention in the past, but on the other hand, it also felt good to have someone behave in such a way toward her. Not that she was in danger of falling to his charms—she was firmly of the opinion that they would do badly together as a couple.

As for the various relationships between the disparate members of the group, while they appeared to get along well, there were certain undercurrents that passed between them which often appeared only to the discerning eye. Neville and Luna seemed somewhat blind to the underlying tensions between certain other members of the group, but that was hardly surprising, given the fact that everyone else was much more familiar with each other than they were, with the possible exception of Fleur.

Fleur's initial relationship with Ginny was characterized by wariness, though they had warmed to each other significantly by the end of the first week. For those who were perceptive enough, it was clear that their initial difficulties were based almost solely upon Ginny's all-consuming jealousy of the older witch. However, this jealousy was quickly eased because Fleur made the effort to get to know Ginny, and Ginny, for her part, discovered that Fleur was a pleasant and intelligent witch. She soon realized that Fleur had been forced into this as much as Harry had—once she had realized and accepted that fact, it was much easier to get to know the French witch without any rancor straining their relationship.

Between Hermione and Fleur, a fast friendship had formed, and the two were much in each other's confidence early on in their relationship. They were different in some respects, but they had many similarities as well, the least of which was not the fact that they had both been loners to a certain extent in their younger years, Fleur due to her heritage, and Hermione due to her intelligence. And as they were both interested in Harry's happiness, they found that they had much common ground upon which to base a friendship.

Finally, a certain amount of friction had also sprung up between Harry and Ron, though Harry was not completely certain the cause for this. He had known that Ron was not happy to have had to stay at Grimmauld Place the Sunday Hermione had come to visit with her parents, but what that had to do with him, he could not be certain. Ron, however, was not about to let it lie, and Harry would soon find out what was bothering his friend.

Ron was frustrated. He had never been exactly a paragon of patience (even Ron could admit he was not blessed with that particular virtue), and the situation with Hermione was wearing on him.

Perhaps amazingly, for one who was not normally particularly fond of books, Ron had taken the one that the twins had given him and read through it in no time. The book had been filled with such helpful tips and instructions, and he had been inordinately pleased with himself—surely with this aid, he could go about wooing his closest female friend!

But unfortunately, it had not happened that way. Though Ron had made good use of the book, following its instructions to the letter, something appeared to be missing. Hermione seemed as though she was warming to him, and she appeared to be appreciative of the effort he was making to show her how he felt, but beyond that, she seemed unaffected. It was driving Ron barmy—he was stuck, and he did not know what he should do.

In addition, Harry's relationship with Hermione looked as though it was stronger than ever—they laughed and joked together, and both appeared to be drawing closer than ever to the Veela, though Ron himself was still rather tongue-tied around the girl. This was not the way things were supposed to go.

In his mind's eye, Ron could only imagine what Harry and Hermione were getting up to when he was not around. How could Harry do this to him? He already had a beautiful Veela at his beck and call—why could Harry not leave Hermione for him?

He was not about to stand for it, and he resolved to confront Harry on the situation immediately.

His chance came on the Tuesday of that week. The training group had just been dismissed by Moody, and the other participants had already left, and though Ron would have liked to get to dinner, which he was certain had already been set out for them, he knew there was likely no better time to confront his friend.

"Harry, I'd like to talk to you for a moment," Ron said a little hesitantly. Harry was a good friend, after all, and he did not wish to anger him—their relationship had already taken a bit of a beating due to Ron's behavior over the Triwizard (Ron's fault, he was able to admit to himself), and Ron did not wish for them to become further estranged. But he could not let Harry snap up all the good witches!

"Sure, Ron," Harry replied from the bench where he was lacing his shoes. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about Hermione."

Harry looked up at him, confused. "Hermione? What about her?"

"Well… I was kind of wondering…"

As Ron stammered, trying to find the words to ask his question, Harry's countenance became even more confused.

"What is it, Ron?"

"What is your relationship with her?" Ron finally blurted out, inwardly wincing at just how inelegant his sudden question sounded.

"My relationship?" Harry echoed uncertainly. "I'm not certain what you are referring to, Ron. I believe my relationship with Hermione is the same as it's ever been—she's my friend, and I'm grateful to her for believing in me, for always sticking up for me."

"That's not what you told her last week!" snapped Ron. "You told her that she was your best friend! Just what did you mean by that?"

Harry's look became speculative and more than a little darker. He glared at Ron, making Ron feel even more uncomfortable. But he would not give in—he had to know what Harry's intentions toward Hermione were!

"I wasn't aware that you were in the habit of eavesdropping on private conversations."

"Just answer the question, Harry!"

"Fine," said Harry, rising to his feet. "Hermione is my best friend!"

Ron's jaw dropped, and he peered at Harry in disbelief. "But Harry, I'm your best friend! We've been through everything together—best mates and all—how can you say that Hermione—a girl!—is closer than we are?"

"Does the term 'Tri-Wizard Tournament' mean anything to you, Ron?" was Harry's sarcastic reply.

Blushing crimson, Ron hung his head in shame—perhaps Harry was right. Ron had not behaved well during that whole debacle, though he had assumed that Harry had forgiven him.

"Listen, Ron," Harry continued in a more conciliatory tone, "I don't hold that against you, but since you asked, I will tell you. Hermione never doubted me, while you would not talk to me for over a month, even though I told you all along I wanted nothing to do with the tournament and didn't enter my name into it.

"To be honest with you, Ron, that's not the only time."

Startled, Ron looked up at Harry, noting the expression of seriousness on his face.

"You've been a bit of a flake at times, not only to me, but also to Hermione. I consider you a friend, Ron—a best friend even—and I know that no matter how you flake out, you'll always come to your senses sooner or later. But I must admit that waiting for you to get over it can be annoying.

"That is why Hermione is my best friend. She's never put me through that. Hell, the only time I've ever fought with her at all was when she turned my Firebolt in to McGonagall in the third year, and even then, she did it for me, because she was scared that I would get hurt."

Embarrassed, Ron considered Harry's words and decided they were completely correct. There had been times when he had been jealous of Harry or had treated him badly, and he knew that if he wanted to maintain their friendship, he would have to improve his behavior.

"I'll try to do better, Harry," he mumbled, hoping his friend would accept that.

"I know, Ron," replied Harry with a grin. "I know you try. I just hope you get over your jealousy some time. You don't seem to realize it, but it's not always fun and games being Harry Potter."

Ron was aware of this—perhaps subconsciously—but Harry seemed to get the short end of the stick more than most. Still, this was something to be considered at another time. For now, Harry still had not given him an answer for exactly how he viewed Hermione, and Ron was not about to let him go until he had some idea of what he was up against.

"But what about Hermione?" Ron pressed. "I know she's a friend, but what do you… think of her?"

A true smile came over Harry's face, and he chuckled with pure amusement. "So that's what this is all about. You think I fancy Hermione?"

"Don't you?" Ron challenged.

"Doesn't matter, now does it?" Harry asked, completely solemn. "Ron, I am bound by a marriage contract with Fleur. Hermione…"

His sudden pause when speaking of the young witch caused Ron to peer at him with heightened suspicion. It appeared very much the case that Harry did have feelings of some sort for Hermione. Ron was not happy with the confirmation.

"Even if I do have feelings for Hermione, I can hardly act on them because of my contract with Fleur, now can I? Do you think I would betray either Fleur or Hermione that way—or that Hermione would even accept such an arrangement? What are you thinking, Ron?"

It was all the confirmation Ron needed. He knew that just because Harry had a betrothal contract with Fleur, he could still woo Hermione due to his status and ability to marry more than one witch. But if Harry did not know that, then Ron would not be the one to illuminate him on the subject. He knew Harry would find out about it some time, but Ron hoped that by the time he did, Ron would already have secured Hermione's affections.

"I'm sorry, Harry—you're right," was all Ron said. "It's just… I like Hermione, you know?"

"I suspected," Harry admitted. "Have you told her?"

"I'm working on it."

"I suggest you do."

Ron peered at his friend, wondering just how sincere he was being—after all, Ron was convinced that Harry also had feelings for Hermione, whether he had admitted it to himself or not. But Harry was too noble to do what Ron had suggested, and Ron—belatedly—realized that fact. He would have to begin repairing his relationship with his friend in earnest.

"Listen, Harry, I just got a bit jealous, what with your close relationship with her. I want to get together with her, you know?"

"I do, Ron, but I suggest you speak with her about it. Don't pull me into this—I already have Fleur to worry about, and getting to know her is all I can handle right now."

"Sure, Harry," said Ron. Then he slapped his friend on the back. "Let's get to dinner—I'm starving!"

Harry grinned, and they left the room. For Ron, he was content with the outcome of the discussion. With Harry admitting himself that he had no designs on Hermione, Ron doubted there would be anyone else even in the running. Things were looking up!

Updated 05/11/2013