Ginny entered the kitchen with Harry and greeted everyone cheerily. She gave her mother a peck on the cheek and followed suit with her father who was making a rare appearance at the breakfast table.

"Good morning, Sunshine," her father greeted her back. "You are in a good mood this morning. Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Sir." Harry replied taking a seat between Ginny and Fred. He noticed Ron was sitting between George and Remus with his arms crossed, scowling at him.

Ginny replied to her father happily, "Harry and I were talking upstairs and he has convinced me to go to Romania."

"That's great!" Hermione said as she helped Mrs. Weasley to get breakfast on the table. "Nadia really is looking forward to meeting you. When I wrote to tell her you would not be coming with us, she was quite disappointed. I'm glad Harry was able to talk you into it."

Ginny tossed Ron a mischievous glace and said, "You know how persuasive Harry can be when he really wants something, right, Ron?"

Harry saw Ron's face darken and he gave Ginny's ankle a kick under the table. He valued Ron's friendship very much and he did not want their brother-sister rivalry or his relationship with her to damage it. Ginny understood his message and refrained from any more comments.

"I'm relieved to hear you have agreed to go," Mrs. Weasley said setting a plate of sausages on the table. "When do you plan to leave?"

Hermione answered, "The Healer wanted Harry to wait two weeks so that means we can leave in two days at the earliest. I should try to get another message off to Nadia to let her know we will all be coming."

Mr. Weasley said, "I'll see about getting a portkey for you. When you write to her, find out where you need to land. Many all-Wizarding villages have started placing anti-Apparation and anti-portkey charms around them."

Not long after breakfast Harry realized it was a good thing they would be leaving soon since there was not very much to occupy their time at Grimmauld Place. It was no wonder Sirius had hated being cooped up there for so long.

The only ones who did not seem to mind were Fred, George, and Mrs. Weasley. The twins were using the time away from the joke shop to work on new inventions in the attic where they were thrilled to find a number of questionable potion ingredients that had once belonged to the Black family. Mrs. Weasley seemed to be much more at ease knowing exactly were everyone was and that they were safe.

Harry finally talked Ron into playing Wizard's Chess with him; but Ron did not talk much and Harry actually beat him two games to one for the first time he could remember. Harry kept trying to pull Ron into conversation but he only spoke when asked a direct question and then his answers were always curt.

Hermione noticed Ron's odd behavior and commented to Ginny when they were out of earshot, "I wonder what's gotten into Ron. He has barely said anything to me all morning and I'd swear he keeps throwing nasty looks at Harry. Do you suppose they had an argument?"

Ginny replied, "I don't think they've argued yet but I have a feeling they might before the day is out."

Hermione looked at Ginny in surprise and asked, "Did something happen?"

Ginny replied, "Ron walked in on Harry and me kissing."

Hermione smiled broadly and said, "That's great! And it's about time! But Ron has seen Harry kiss you before. Why would he get upset?"

Ginny answered, "Because we were in my bedroom, on my bed with the door shut."

"Oh," Hermione said. "He really is quite prudish when it comes to you isn't he? Do you want me to talk to him about it?"

"No. I doubt it would do any good anyway," Ginny replied. "I think it's something that he and Harry are going to have to work out for themselves."

Harry had been thinking along the same lines as Ginny so he was somewhat prepared when Ron entered their room that night while he was getting dressed for bed. Ron shut the door, leaned against it with is arms crossed and watched Harry. Harry ignored him since he figured Ron would get around to saying whatever was on his mind when he was ready.

He did not have to wait long before Ron said, "So what did you think you were doing in my sister's bedroom this morning?"

Harry answered without looking at him, "I was talking to her about going to Romania with us. Isn't that what I told you I was going to do?"

"It didn't look like you were doing much talking when I walked in!" Ron retorted.

"No, as I recall, I was kissing her when you walked in," Harry replied matter-of-factly and finally turned to face Ron.

Ron strode over, stood directly in front of Harry, and glared at him. Harry was several inches shorter so he had to look up slightly to meet Ron's eye but he refused to back away. Ron also outweighed him by at least twenty pounds so Harry knew it was going to hurt if he decided to punch him.

Continuing to glare, Ron asked, "What are your intentions toward my sister?"

It was all Harry could do not to laugh and he replied, "My intentions? Why they're completely honorable, of course." He knew it would make Ron angrier but he could not help starting to grin.

"I'm being serious!"

Harry said, "You're being ridiculous! It was just a kiss! I used to kiss her when we were at school and you got over it."

"Yeah, well, that was before…"

"Before what?" Harry asked.

"Before we went to Romania," Ron replied.

Harry asked puzzled, "What's Romania got to do with it?"

Ron replied, "Come on, Harry! I know what happened between you and Lina while we were there. She ended up crying on Hermione's shoulder for hours and Hermione eventually told me."

Harry looked at Ron completely baffled, "I don't see what something that happened between Lina and me months ago in Romania has to do with this. It's not like I was cheating on Ginny since we had broken up way before then. What did Lina tell Hermione that's got you so barking mad now?"

Ron threw Harry a disgusted look and said, "That you two… you know… you slept with her and then…" Ron's voice trailed off but Harry was still completely confused as to the relevance that could possibly have with him kissing Ginny today.

Harry said heatedly, "So? Not that it is any of your business! I suppose you and Hermione hadn't been doing the same thing seeing as how you shared a bedroom the entire time we were there. Ginny's right, you are a hypocritical git!"

In an attempt to get his mounting temper under control, Harry walked to the other side of the room to open Hedwig's cage and let her out of the window for her nightly hunt.

"Hermione and I are different!" Ron insisted, his anger still growing. "We'd been going out for several months and I didn't turn around and break up with her afterward! Ginny may have had a lot of boyfriends, but she's still innocent and I plan to see to it she stays that way! Now that you know what it's like to, you know, be with a girl, I don't want you going after her next."

Harry walked back to face Ron and said angrily, "What do you mean you don't want me going after Ginny next? What in the hell do you think I'm going to do to her? Force her? Have you forgotten that Lina was the one who chased after me? You and Hermione ragged me enough about it! I was just stupid enough to finally give in!"

They were still glaring at each other when Harry continued, "Did Lina explain the reason I broke it off with her so suddenly when she went crying to Hermione?"

Ron made to reply and stopped.

"Well? Did she?" Harry demanded hotly.

Ron replied, "She said you used her and after you got what you wanted from her for a while, you said it was over."

"And you believed that?" Harry asked incredulously. "Hermione believed that?"

Ron said slowly, "Hermione said she thought there had to be more to it but Lina wouldn't tell her. I just thought—"

Harry cut in angrily, "Maybe you shouldn't think or you should let Hermione do it for you! One night I caught her trying to slip some kind of potion into my drink, Ron. That was the final reason I broke things off with her."

"She tried to put something in your drink?" Ron asked in surprise. "She didn't seem the kind to do something like that. Why didn't you tell us?"

Harry said, "I didn't see the point and I felt like a big enough idiot, anyway. I never thought she would stoop to using a potion, but I saw her and confronted her. She insisted it was only some kind of persuasion draught. We all told her from the beginning that we would only be in Romania for a few months but she was going to try to get me to stay, anyway. She had no idea about the prophecy or why we were there and I wasn't about to tell her."

Harry was relieved when Ron no longer acted as though he wanted to pulverize him.

Trying hard to calm himself down Harry said, "She swore she would never do anything like that again but I could never trust her after that. I think I knew all along that she wasn't really for me; but you had Hermione and I… well, come on, you have to admit that Lina was gorgeous."

He snuck a quick glance at Ron who reluctantly said, "Yeah, I… uh, kind of noticed."

Harry started to feel the anger drain out of him and said, "I won't tell Hermione you think so, promise."

"Good," Ron said, and Harry saw the reluctant start of a grin on his face.

Harry said, "One of those nights you two went back to Nadia and Ivan's after the four of us had been at the pub, Lina and I went back to her place. I told her again before anything happened that we would be leaving Romania within a few months. I didn't think it made sense for us to start anything. I actually got to the door and was about to leave; but she said she understood and it didn't matter. Then she, um… persuaded me to stay the night."

Ron smiled sheepishly and said, "I guess a girl who looks like Lina would be hard to resist. Hermione said she thought it might be good for you because it would help you to get over—"

Ron halted what he was about to say, but Harry finished for him, "It would help me to get over Ginny? That was part of it, too, I suppose. It surprised me that she tried to slip something into my drink but I was actually glad for the excuse."

"The excuse for what?" Ron asked.

"To end things with her," Harry replied. "I did like her but she wasn't Ginny."

Ron's head snapped around and he started to glare at Harry again and said, "What do you mean by that?"

"Calm down, would you!" Harry snapped, "I didn't mean it like that! I felt I had to stay away from Ginny so Voldemort wouldn't use her to get to me. I didn't think I'd see much of her again, anyway, given what I have to do. It may sound strange, but I really do prefer just talking and being with Ginny over anything I had been doing with Lina. Pretty mental, huh?"

"Kind of, yeah," Ron answered. "But I am glad to hear you say that, seeing as it's my sister we're talking about. So you don't think you need to stay away from Ginny anymore?"

Harry sat down on the edge of his bed and answered, "I figure she'll be safe enough around me while we're in Romania. I think she's in more danger because of what is happening with your father right now than from of her association with me. I'm not supposed to tell you this, but your dad thinks Bellatrix Lestrange may have meant to kill Ginny instead of Gretchen that day in Diagon Alley."

"What?" Ron said and looked back at Harry in shock.

Harry continued, "Now you understand why your father and I really want to get her away from here for a while."

"Well, sure," Ron said. "But you should have told me that part sooner."

"Your father didn't want me telling anyone," Harry said. "But there is something else I need to say…"

Harry figured it was the best time as any to have this discussion with Ron. "I still fancy Ginny and I trust her. It's hard to explain but I feel somehow better about everything I have to deal with when I'm around her. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her and no matter what you seem to think, I'd never force her into anything she didn't want to do."

Ron looked somewhat embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I should have realized there had to be something more to why you ended it with Lina like you did. It's just that Ginny's my kid sister, you know? It's hard to stop wanting to protect her from everything."

Harry replied, "I'm just asking you to stop pulling the overprotective big brother act any time I get near her."

Silence hung in the air as Ron continued to look at Harry, who, for once, could not read the expression on his face.

Finally, Ron said, "It won't be easy for me but you may not have an easy time of it, either."

"How so?" Harry asked.

He was extremely relieved Ron had taken what he had said so well and it looked like their friendship would remain in tact.

"We are going back to Romania after all. What do you think is going to happen if Lina runs into you with Ginny? Does Ginny know about her?"

"Lina isn't there anymore, or so Hermione told me. Nadia wrote that she went back to live with her grandfather after we left. Ginny doesn't know about what happened between us but I am not intentionally keeping anything from her. It just hasn't come up yet. When it does, I plan to be honest with her about everything."

"Everything?" Ron asked skeptically.

"Yes, everything." Harry answered truthfully. "I don't want to keep secrets from her."

"Good," Ron said standing up and started getting ready for bed. They talked a while longer about the upcoming trip and before Harry knew it, he had crawled into bed and fallen asleep.

The next morning Harry and Ron came down the stairs and found Hermione and Ginny already at the breakfast table helping themselves to scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. Their eyes roamed Harry up and down looking for physical evidence that Ron may have taken his self-proclaimed brotherly duties too far.

Ron sat beside Hermione and gave her a quick kiss and said, "Morning. What's for breakfast, I famished!"

Harry sat next to Ginny. Not seeing bruises on either of them or, in Harry's case, residual effects of hexes, she said, "Good morning. Everything okay?"

"Sure," Harry answered her with a smile. He took the plate of eggs that Ron passed to him and spooned some onto his plate. "Any reason it wouldn't be?"

"We thought we heard shouting last night," Ginny replied and glanced to Hermione who shrugged slightly.

"It sounded like you may have been arguing or something," Hermione said looking back to Ron.

"Awguing?" Ron said through a mouth full of eggs.

He swallowed and asked, "Why would we be arguing? Harry did make some lame remark about the Cannons' new seeker and I set him straight. That's probably all you heard."

Neither Ginny nor Hermione seemed to buy this explanation so Harry said, "The discussion may have started to get a little heated but when I explained my point of view, Ron eventually calmed down. There shouldn't be anymore arguing about it."

He winked at Ginny and proceeded to attack the food on his own plate.

Realization dawned on Ginny and she relaxed back in her seat. "Good, glad to hear it."

Mrs. Weasley joined them and when they were nearly done eating, Tonks came in looking as if she had been crying.

Mrs. Weasley immediately became nervous and asked, "Tonks? What's wrong?"

Tonks took a seat beside Ginny and placed her head in her hands. Her shoulders begin to shake and she started to cry again.

Mrs. Weasley immediately placed a comforting arm around her and asked, "What is it, dear?"

Tonks blew her nose in the handkerchief she was holding and said, "Remus got in late from an assignment a few hours ago. He told me they found two of them and one was Jonathan. He was so young! Oh, Molly! When will it end?"

Tonks dissolved into tears and Harry looked to the others to see if any of them knew what she was talking about. Their confused expressions indicated they did not.

Mrs. Weasley asked gently, "Jonathan? You mean, your Auror friend who has been missing?"

Tonks nodded and sniffed, "It was the same as before…neither of them had been killed by the killing curse, but some other curse or hex."

Ginny laid a comforting hand on Tonk's arm and said, "I'm so sorry to hear about your friend."

"Thank you," Tonks replied. "Unfortunately, that's not all the news. They attacked several Wizarding families last night, too. Mostly where a family member was Muggle-born but only one person was killed."

"Oh, no!" Mrs. Weasley gasped.

Tonks continued, "I wasn't on patrol since I'm assigned to stay here but luckily the other Aurors were able to prevent them from doing worse."

Tonks said looking around the table through tear-filled eyes, "Remus also saw Arthur briefly. He wanted Remus to tell you that he managed to get the portkey early and you should plan to leave for Romania tonight."

"Why? What's the rush?" Ron asked.

Tonks shrugged, "Remus didn't say there was a rush; just that the portkey had been arranged for tonight and that your dad wants to make sure you arrive at the landing spot in Romania after dark."

Looking grim, Mrs. Weasley said to them, "Why don't you all go ahead upstairs and get your things together then. I'll clean up down here."

Quietly they left the table and ascended the stairs.

Once they were out of earshot Ron said to Harry, "So what was that all about? It sounds to me like Dad is in a hurry to get us out of here."

Harry replied, "I have no idea. I guess we'll have to ask him when he gets here with the portkey tonight."

They finished packing by late morning. Ron and Harry were the last ones to bring their bags down to the living room where Hermione performed a reduction charm that enabled them to place all their belongings into one of two smaller backpacks.

The twins had remained ensconced in the attic saying mysteriously through the door that they had had a major breakthrough and could not be disturbed. So with nothing left to do, Ron and Harry spent the rest of the afternoon playing Wizard's Chess (this time Harry only won one game, but only because Ginny helped him) and Hermione continued to read from the ancient book she had borrowed from Nadia.

Several hours after they finished dinner Mr. Weasley arrived looking very tired.

Ron went to his father immediately and asked, "Dad, is something wrong? Is there some reason you want us to leave a day early and in the dark to boot?"

Mrs. Weasley ran to give her husband a relieved hug upon seeing him arrive safe at Grimmauld Place before he answered, "No. There is nothing wrong, really; well, nothing more than usual, anyway."

Mrs. Weasley looked concerned as she questioned her husband, "Arthur, are you sure they should leave now? Will it be safe?"

Mr. Weasley replied to his wife, "You know we agreed that they should leave as soon as possible."

He turned back to the four of them and continued, "Kingsley and I feel it will be safer for you to arrive at your destination after dark when there will be less of a chance you will be seen. Since the town where you will be staying is so remote and there have been security charms placed all around it, you will have to walk a fair distance once you get there."

Mr. Weasley's caution was beginning to cause Harry to second-guess whether it really would be safer for Ginny to go with them.

He asked, "Why do we have to worry about being seen? Do you think we may run into some kind of trouble? Maybe we shouldn't—"

Mr. Weasley interrupted him, "I'm not expecting any trouble but that doesn't mean we should not be cautious. Kingsley and I just feel it will be best for you to arrive at Nadia and Ivan's after dark."

Mr. Weasley looked at his watch and exclaimed, "Oh, my! Only four minutes until the portkey activates. Come on! Gather your things!"

"Arthur! It's time already?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "Everyone else isn't here to see them off!"

"I'm sorry, dear," Mr. Weasley replied,"but that's the way of it. We set the portkey to activate at exactly 9:49. Three minutes!"

With a cry, Mrs. Weasley ran to pull each of them into a tearful hug, admonishing them to be careful and to stay safe.

Mr. Weasley hugged Hermione and Ron, but tears sprang to his eyes when he hugged his only daughter tightly.

"Be careful, and keep a sharp eye out, Sunshine. We'll see you in a few weeks."

Last Mr. Weasley shook Harry's hand and then pulled him into a hug as well.

Before stepping back, he whispered into Harry's ear, "Take care of her for us and be careful yourself."

"I will, sir," Harry replied stepping back.

Mr. Weasley placed an old, broken Muggle electrical plug on the table and put a comforting arm around his wife.

"It's time, kids…" he said.

They each placed a finger on the plug and within seconds, Harry felt the familiar tugging behind his navel and Grimmauld Place disappeared from his sight.