A/N: Let me say for the record that I absolutely hate this chapter. I've written it three different times and each time seems to be worse than the last. : sigh : There was a purpose in this chapter, certain things that I wanted to throw into the story before I went too much farther.

Hopefully, the next one will get back to the action.

Keep reviewing.

O X O X O X O X O X O

ANOTHER CONVERSATION

Diagon Alley was always a treat. Smiling at the myriad of colours and sounds that wafted around every building… every possible corner… every person, encircling without any way to escape… not that anyone would ever want to, it was almost enough to cause an overload to the brain. At least, that was Luna's opinion, anyway.

She smiled as she swung her satchel full of school supplies across her left shoulder, the curtain of her light blonde hair just barely escaping being tugged out of her scalp by the shoulder stray, she ignored the personal discomfort she almost created for herself and moved to pick up the cup of Purple Mountain Berry flavored ice cream (with sprinkles, no less) that the nice lady across the counter had set down for her.

Luna Lovegood smiled brightly, taking a quick taste of the tart sweetness and waved, the spoon spilling a few drops of the iced violet-coloured dessert, as she turned to catch up with the other girls who were already waiting for her outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor

"Ready?" Padma Patil asked, wrinkling her nose as she looked at the strangely tinted ice cream that Luna was eating. Luna only nodded in response, the plastic spoon still in her mouth.

Padma and her twin, Pavarti both turned and led Luna over to where a group of girls were all waiting… everyone in sixth and seventh year making it a day to pick up school supplies. It had not been easy to set up, easily attested by Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott and Lavender Brown… the general consensus of many Ministry officials was that those working for You-Know-Who could attack at any time. It had been Susan, however, who suggested getting large groups to go shopping all at once. That way, there could plenty of aurors and MLE to be nearby, if it became necessary.

So far, there had been three such outings, each by different grades and Houses… no attacks. What the girls had no idea of… all except Luna, perhaps, was that the longer there were no attacks going on, the more worried everyone was getting.

Luna smiled, her pale blue eyes taking in everything as she looked around at the huddled girls, various giggling conversations going on. She tried not to listen in on any once conversation, rather choosing to see if the whole experience of all of tem talking at once. It was a bit disorienting, at first, though slowly she seemed to catch the hand of it. The normal names seemed to dominate most of the relationship gossip.

Was Michael Corner still with Cho Chang?

What about Seamus?

Did you hear what Daphne from Slytherin was caught doing with Terry Boot before the end of last year?

Ron?

"Huh?" Luna came up from her moment of being spaced out, as Ginny had once referred to it. "What about Ronald?"

Padma covered her mouth as she giggled. "Arthur's Sword, Luna… where do you go?" The other girls joined in on the giggling. "I asked about how you and Ron are doing. Is it going to be a race between you and Ron against Harry and Hermione for the best broom closets to snog in?"

Lavender gasped at Padma's audacity, but everyone could see her eyes were just as interested in the latest gossip about anything to do with the Golden Trio as the next. Maybe more so, especially since she'd been on vacation for the majority of the summer.

Sighing, Luna remembered Harry's instructions and shook her head, affecting a forlorn expression. "No… Ron and I aren't together anymore…"

It had the effect that Tonks had warned them both about. Shrieks of every octave suddenly assaulted Luna's ears as everyone was suddenly riveted on her every word… the Gospel according to Luna. Taking a quick bite of her ice cream, she continued the appearance of reluctance to talk.

It was too much. "What happened?" was chorused by many of the girls, though Lavender suddenly had a shrewd look on her face.

"Is that why Ginny's not here?"

Luna shook her head. "Ginny and me are okay… as well as can be expected, I guess."

Susan leaned closer and smiled sympathetically. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want… but we're here if you need anything."

The boldness of the obviously false statement was almost enough for Luna to break out in a fit of giggles herself. How was it that others fell for this? Keeping her face down to avoid everyone else seeing her roll her eyes, she composed herself and leaned into the other girl… Susan's arm immediately moving around Luna's shoulders.

Taking a deep breath, Luna refused to look at any of them. The effect was one of shame or confusion, while the truth was closer to the fact that Luna wanted to shout at each and every one of them for being almost too stupid to live. "Harry caught Hermione and Ronald together…"

That had been enough.

"Oh, my God!"

Lavender's eyes looked ready to roll into the back of her head. "Not Hermione… not… She lost Harry?"

"You're lying!"

Luna waited until everyone had had their say… many of them having two or three says on the matter, before everyone calmed down enough to let Luna go on.

Nodding slowly, she kicked at a loose pebble on the road, before slowly moving her way down the walk… her steps leading her towards the twins' shop at the end. "Near on three weeks ago now… Harry caught them. Huge fight, hit Ronald… took off."

"What did you do?" Pavarti asked, her voice full of false interest.

"Broke up with Ronald."

"He didn't try to say anything?" Lavender asked. "Some excuse for what happened?"

She shrugged slightly, her hand moving to adjust the satchel to her other shoulder. "He'd came by several times… wanting to talk, to beg off the mistake."

"And did he?" Hannah asked. "Apologize to you?"

"I don't know." Luna offered softly. "I never saw him… I was strong for the first day or so, but it took Daddy stepping in and running him off that finally got him to leave me alone."

"You Dad?" Lavender gasped.

Luna finished the last bite of her ice cream before looking for a recycle receptacle to throw the bowl away in… the plastic spoons she kept. Finally finding one and taking a moment to walk away from the girls as they whispered among themselves, Luna took her time coming back. As she finally drew nearer, the faces of her classmates looking up guiltily, the all came over to her.

"What about Harry? And Hermione?"

"Well, I haven't spoken to Hermione…" She started.

"I'd say not to talking with that know-it-all hussy, having her own boyfriend and then trying to take yours. Always thought she was too important, she did, hanging out with the two of them all those years." A girl from Ravenclaw piped in. "But Harry…"

Just as Tonks had laughingly suggested, the girls were immediately on the prowl. By Luna's own mouth, she'd released the dogs after a very eligible (in the girls' minds) Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley… though everyone was at least civil enough to not sharpen their claws in front of Luna. That would be bad form, after all.

Time for the next bomb. It was a completely different plan than she had originally been instructed to follow, but Hedwig had arrived this morning… Harry's erratic writing telling her to let everyone know his plans. "I saw Harry briefly… he's been considering skipping this year…"

"Skipping!" Padma shouted. "What…"

Lavender cut her off, her eyes flashing in quick understanding. "He'd make everyone think it's because of the breakup, but he's planning something… especially after all the rumours last year about special training he was getting from Professor Dumbledore."

She paused as everyone took in what she was saying. "Did you and Ron really break up?"

Luna nodded. "On my magic."

Lavender seemed to absorb the information as she clucked her tongue against the room of her mouth. "Is Harry coming to school this year?"

Everyone seemed to lean in as Luna looked back and forth among all of the faces, their undivided attention riveted to her. Slowly she nodded. "At first, he was completely against it… but something has changed… maybe something more than just a simple break up between him and Hermione." She shrugged. "Whatever it is, Harry is going back to school… and is going to be Head Boy, to boot."

"Ooohh… that sounds like fun…" Padma wiggled her eyebrows at Lavender. "The Head Suite… wonder who got the Head Girl slot…"

Hannah Abbott rolled her eyes. "Like that was ever in doubt…"

"But if they're not together…" Pavarti looked at her twin, mirrored reflections at the cunning plainly written across each of their faces.

Luna continued on with the conversations, the girls still talking about Harry and Hermione, the unspoken realization that they all seemed to reach at the same time to not talk about Ron while the ex was still there. Harry… I hope you know what you're doing, she thought plaintively.

O X O X O X O X O X O

Fred Weasley pulled back the cord on their patented Extendable Ear, only two close calls in almost being discovered by the gaggle of girls standing in the middle of the walkway just a few buildings down from their novelty shoppe.

Skulking further into the shadows, the lanky redhead finished recoiling the cord and moved hurriedly towards Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, hoping to slip back in to the crowded building without anyone being any wiser that he'd not been where he was supposed to be… a feat that made only noteworthy due to the fact that there were so many sentries about Diagon Alley that it was almost hard to sneeze alone in the bathroom with someone handing you a kerchief.

Carefully entering through a secret back door, Fred moved up to the loo and quickly flushed the toilet and lighted a match before making his way out of the back. Lee Jordan was calling out customer numbers, the line looking to have doubled inside the shoppe as kids of all ages were pushing through the shelves, all hoping to pick up the latest prankster must have item. Stepping up to the second register, Freed saw that Lee was shooting him an agitated look.

"What?" Fred askewd as he began ringing up items from the very frustrated mother of three across the counter from him. Three kids? Nah. Come back after seven more.

Lee shook his head as he told the people he'd just helped to come again. "Nothing… just… where were you? I was dying out here alone."

"You were fine…" Fred offered. "Where was George?"

"Got a call from Gringotts… Bill and Charlie were onto something and wanted to see one of you." Lee grimaced. "George said you were stuck with your pants around your ankles and that he'd fill you in later." He paused as he thanked someone for their patronage. "Did you bring me that money you owe me?"

Fred shook his head. "Nope. Too busy trying not to die. Bad muggle food. Ignore anything that you order by the number…"

"Ouch." He sympathized. "The Chinese or the Indian?"

"Mexican." Fred made a face as he finished helping another patron. "I will never again trust the lunch special, plate number thirty-five."

Lee started to respond, but the front door bell decided to ring, pulling their attention for a moment. The ring always sounded different for someone coming in than it did for anyone leaving. Over the heads of the people still in the store, Fred saw his twin moving quickly over towards him, his normally jovial face deep in a scowl.

Mouthing later, Fred moved to hurry and finish helping and ringing out the people ready to make their purchases.

It easily took another forty-five minutes to get the store back under control, Lee and the twins being the only ones scheduled to work that day. Alicia and the new girl… Wilma or something, both had today off. Fred offered to let Lee take an hour break… thirty minutes longer than his usual… a fact that would have made The Quibbler if Eugene Lovegood had been around, but Lee chose not to question the twin's good mood and dove out the door.

"Well?" Fred asked just as George sighed.

"Do you want me to go first or you?"

Fred considered for a moment before nodding to his brother. You saw Billy and Chuck…. What did they want?"

George leaned his elbows over the counter, leaning back in a very relaxed pose. "Harry's sent back his letter. He's agreed to return to Hogwarts."

"But that's gre…" He stopped talking at the look on his brother's face.

"There were a few… uhm… shall we say demands on his part that she had to agree to before he'd agree."

"Okay…."

George shook his head. "First, he gets to come and go as he pleases. He'll attend classes as best he can, but that Dumbledore's task is more important."

Fred felt his eyes go wide. "Wow."

His brother snorted. "Right. Wow. Then there's the fact that he's bringing two people with him that must be able to attend."

Standing upright, his back stiff, Fred looked at his brother. "You mean Tonks and Malfoy."

His twin nodded.

They both knew that there was something going on between Harry and Tonks, especially after the row Mum and Dad had had after briefly seeing Harry at the school infirmary. From everything that they had been able to put together between the shouts of her "being too old" and Harry "being too young" or the "breaking of Hermione's heart", there had even been whispers of Remus being inconsolable… a fact that Fred and George wondered at: Which was he upset about… losing Tonks or losing Harry? It all came down to the fact that Harry finding Hermione and their youngest brother in bed together had destroyed one of the strongest points of hope around.

It was almost too much to take.

Now, Harry was cavorting with a miniature Deatheater-In-Training and a metamorphmagus that could barely walk down the street without causing a spill or two. Their brother was miserable, his girlfriend choosing now rather to hang out with the girls that she had always referred to as useless and wastes of good air… Hermione was inconsolable, nearly vanishing from public sight.

Mum and Dad were fighting; Remus miserable. McGonagall was furious to a degree that neither twin had ever encountered before… and lest anyone leave out the youngest Weasley, Ginny… she'd taken it upon herself to discover the source of the cookies, the innocent and fun spell that could ultimately lend to You-Know-Who's victory… the Golden Trio cracked, maybe broken… more likely shattered.

Fred felt honestly sick to his stomach. "Anything else?"

George looked at his brother. "There was more, but I sorta stopped paying attention afterwards. The Order has been told to stay away from him, Tonks and Malfoy. If they want something, they'll ask for it… and they've already asked for complete and unrestricted access to the entire Hogwarts Library."

Fred chuckled. "Is that all?"

"No. They also want to go through all of Dumbledore's things."

"Really? What for?"

George shrugged. "He ain't talking."

Sitting there, they both were suddenly glad that the store was quiet… empty for the moment. They looked at each other, one of the few times their able to predict one another completely gone, leaving them confused and alone… even standing next to one another.

"What did you learn?" George finally asked.

Fred sighed. "Not a lot… some the same stuff as you. Though I have a few suspicions."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He frowned. "We've got to fix this."

George coughed. "And how do we do that?"

"I have absolutely no idea." Fred whined, his eyes serious. "But no matter the cost, we've got to fix this or everything will come apart."