At The End

Harry Potter, "The Boy Who Lived", was lying flat on his back on the freshly mowed grass of his Aunt and Uncle's house. His arms were crossed behind his head. His lanky legs were stretched out in front of his body. Harry was lazily watching the fluffy, white clouds pass slowly above.

It was a rare occasion, indeed, these days for Harry to have a few minutes all to himself. Ever since Voldemort's return to power almost two years ago Harry had been the centre of everyone's attention. After he had finally made his move and started to date Ginny Weasley everyone had more things to talk to him about.

It was really starting to bother Harry, how everyone seemed to feel that they had access to all of Harry's personal life. It was true that Harry was beginning to feel sorry for Ginny. She wasn't used to all the personal questions that people would ask her. Nor was she accustomed to the looks and constant stares she'd get all the time now.

She hadn't had it all her wizarding life like Harry had. He was happy that he had someone else who could share his frustration at being ogled at. He could talk to Ginny and laugh about things people said and did. He found life so much easier being with Ginny. Except that few months at the beginning when Ron would refuse to talk to Harry. That was the worst part about the relationship with Ginny.

Ron was ok with it now, thankfully. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Hermione may have spoken to him. Harry wasn't too sure what the situation with Ron and Hermione was, but, Ron seemed to be taking everything Hermione said to him to heart. If they weren't an item yet then they sure were going to be soon.

'About time too'. Harry thought to himself. Both Ron and Hermione had been dancing around they're feelings for each other for years. It had become obvious to Harry about Ron's feelings for Hermione, back in their fourth year at Hogwarts, when Hermione starting seeing the Bulgarian Quidditch player, Viktor Krum.

Ron had been livid with seeing them together. Harry sensed Hermione knew how Ron felt as she told him to ask her first next time. Either she knew how he felt or it was a huge coincidence. The way she acted sometimes seemed to suggest that she knew he liked her, but then the fact that she never made any kind of moves on him looked as though she was none the wiser to the way Ron felt.

Harry felt a drop of water hit the bridge of his nose. He had been so lost in his own thoughts of hooking Ron and Hermione up that he hadn't noticed the fluffy clouds turn dark. The rain was starting to fall. Harry stood and was about to go inside when he heard a noise that made his heart stop.

The sound was one almost the same as a wand casting a spell. Harry stood stone still, cocking his head to one side trying to hear for any unusual sounds. Harry heard nothing. This was starting to worry him as he couldn't hear anything, not even the high trill of birds chattering. This was disconcerting for Privet Drive, where birds always sang melodically during the day, even if it was raining.

Harry's heart was hammering against his rib cage. He slowly reached inside his jacket. He gripped his wand in his hand and began to slowly survey his surroundings. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Yet if experience as a wizard had taught him nothing else, Harry knew that a seemingly pleasant scene could turn ugly in a split second.

He started to relax when it happened. He was taken off guard when at his left hand side a loud crack ripped through the still air and a tremendous wave of air sent Harry sprawling backwards. There was a cloud of grey smoke right where Harry had been standing only seconds ago.

Harry jumped right to his feet ad withdrew his wand. He was about to cast his stunning spell when Ron's wheezy cough broke the silence. Harry drew a breath.

"Ron?" He asked. Ron looked at him confused.

"What you got your wand out for?" He asked suspiciously as Harry hurriedly stuffed back into his jacket.

"Nothing, never mind." He mumbled. Ron looked at him wide- eyed. "What are you doing, apparating in the middle of a muggle street?" He asked Ron. Ron looked agitated for a minute then glanced around him.

"I can't tell you here." He whispered quietly, leaning in so only Harry could here. "It's about…. Voldemort."

Harry was surprised to hear that name pass Ron's lips. Until this time Ron had been too afraid to speak the name of the most feared man in the wizarding world.

"Have the Order got any new leads?" Harry asked quietly. Ron shook his head.

"Nah, nothing new from the letter I sent." He told Harry. He grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him around the side of the house. "I've been sent to collect you." He told Harry.

"So I'm coming to headquarters?" He asked, hopefully. Ron seemed uncomfortable.

"No, it's too dangerous." He said, after a moment pause.

"You know, Ron, You sound like a member of the order." He hissed, angrily. Ron shifted his weight.

"Yeah, I guess so." He said.

"What are you hiding?" Harry asked. Ron looked at his feet.

"I've been inducted into the order." He said after a while. Harry nearly fell over.

"What was that? I think I may have misheard you there. For a minute it sounded like you said you'd been inducted into the order." He said with a high laugh, which sounded almost hysterical.

"Yeah, well I… ah kinda… they said I should." He was stumbling for the right words. "You see… Hermione is in as well." He said, in hopes of calming Harry. This only served to make him angrier.

"Oh, so you and Hermione have earned a place in the order yet I, who has seen and faced much more than you two, by the way, don't deserve a place in the order." He was yelling. Ron held up his hands in peace.

"Hey we didn't ask for this. I was thrust into it." He said imploringly. Harry gave him an odd look.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked. Ron shook his head.

"When the time comes, Dumbledore will tell you." Ron consoled him reassuringly.

"Do you know what it is?" Harry asked curiously. Ron said nothing. "Ron, do you?" He pushed.

"Come on, lets get your trunk and tell your Aunt and Uncle I'm kidnapping you. Maybe they'll be happy with that news. Oh and I have a gift for your cousin from my brothers." Ron said with a twinkle In his eye. Harry smiled.

"You know Ron, sometimes I think you're more like Fred and George than you'll admit to." Harry said. Ron looked at him.

"Well when you grow up with them, its hard not to be infected by them." Ron gave Harry a sly smile. "You're even like them. Whether you notice it or not." He told Harry. Harry sniffed indignantly.

"I am not." He said, not to convincingly.

"Yeah, you are. Or else you wouldn't care what these will do to Dudley." He said producing two blue and two purple triangle- shaped lollies.

"What do they do?" Harry asked. Ron smiled, evilly.

"I don't know." He winked at Harry. "How about we go find out?" He asked.

Both boys walked around the side of the house, laughing hard at the idea of Dudley being victim once again to the Weasley twins.

Little did they know this would be the last real laugh they would have for another year? Maybe even for the rest of their lives.