Disclaimer, Warnings, Pairings, etc: See chapter 1 *Winks*

Chapter 2

Do you really believe I would be that stupid!

The journey to Grimald place had been dramatic, taxing, and painful and Harry now wanted nothing more than to climb into a bed, throw the covers over his head and ignore the whole world for a few hours.

Instead he was quickly led into what he briefly indentified as a kitchen before he found himself surrounded by red haired rambunctiousness, bushy brown tenderness and squishy, smothering breasts.

His arrival seemed to signify what his primary school teacher called 'a mad half hour'; greetings and hugs dosed with variations of "how are you's" all over the top of the din from a screaming portrait. He smiled, gave nods, murmured the appropriate responses, and generally allowed himself to be handed around like the package in the children's game 'pass the parcel'.

Harry's head was spinning!

Eventually he found himself sat at the table, spoon in hand with a bowl of what smelt like onion soup in front of him with no real recollection of how he got there and everyone staring at him expectantly.

He dipped the spoon into the soup and took a tentative taste, "erm, yum?" he asked cautiously.

The strange tableau broke and as the low hum of various conversations started up, seemingly picking up from where his arrival had interrupted. He glanced around finally being able to take in who was there.

Ron and Hermione were close by, sitting at the end of the table chatting quietly to each other, occasionally looking over nervously. Perhaps, thought Harry, they may feel a little apprehensive about his feelings towards them all things considered. He couldn't maintain his anger at them now he was here with them. His tentative smile back at them seemed to reassure them a little as their shoulders lost the tension and they both relaxed into their seats.

Fred and George were talking in hushed tones to a scruffy little guy that Harry didn't know. He figured it was some kind of dodgy dealing by the way they held themselves and their expressions. Judging by the way Mrs Weasley's eyes kept sliding to them whilst she bustled about the cooking area; he guessed she thought so too. Harry ducked his head briefly to hide the grin that popped up at the thought of Mrs Weasley's retribution if she busted them.

Tonks was using her wand to play with colours and styles on Ginny's hair and Mr Weasley appeared to be in an intense discussion with Moody and Shackblebolt. He looked for Sirius and found him and Remus pulling out the chairs either side of Harry, bracketing him as they seated.

"Prongslet! I am so glad you're finally here. I have been so bloody bored in this gloomy dump with only that blasted Kreacher for company. How are you? Did you have a good birthday? You will have to excuse the house Harry; housekeeping is not one of my better talents. Did you like the gift I…?"

Harry had no idea who or what a 'kreacher' was and his face must have shown his confusion as he looked around at the many people that were currently occupying the kitchen.

"…Oh there's not usually this many people here, just now and then when there is an Order meeting. Even Moony has been busy off doing 'stuff'" Sirius pouted "Molly comes to check up on me which is annoying but as she usually brings food with her, I can handle that" he finished with a smirk.

"Sirius! Slow down. I think you lost Harry somewhere in the middle of all that" interrupted Remus "perhaps some explanation for him about what is going on here".

He turned to Harry "Do you actually know what the 'order' is, cub?" he asked in his typically calm tone.

"Err no. And…cub?"

Remus just smiled at that and after a quick look around, Harry saw the same smile on Sirius, Ron and Hermione's faces. Bemusedly he listened to Remus and Sirius as they explained about The Order of the Phoenix.

Mrs Weasley interrupted and was quick to point out that Harry was not allowed to join the order as he was under-aged. That was just fine with Harry. He had enough on his plate and had no desire to add to it.

Mr Weasley came over and put casually draped his arm around Harry shoulders in a fatherly way, which a part of Harry liked yet part wanted to flinch and pull away. He explained that he would be accompanying Harry to the ministry for his hearing and that he was not too worry about a thing. Dumbledore would be witnessing for him and that a bout of underage magic was not exactly a rare occurrence in the wizarding world.

Harry could feel a blush starting to rise. He felt bad that he had had a moment of doubt that anyone would help him, but old habits are hard to break and he had been taking care of himself for too long to really feel comfortable putting that trust in anyone else. Ron and Hermione had broken through several of Harry's barriers, but they were kids themselves like him and too often subject to the rules that grown-ups set…despite evidence sometimes to the contrary right before their eyes.

"Err yeah, about that…"he trailed off, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. Hermione reached over and gently tapped his lip to be released and softly asked "what have you done Harry?"

He steadfastedly ignored everyone else and looked only at Hermione.

"It's all sorted. Madame Bones said the case has been dismissed so I don't have to attend the ministry or anything".

The loud exclamations of disbelief, joy and questioning that erupted from behind and to the side of him had Harry jerking forward into Hermione. Ron quickly came to his side and turned, giving Harry his back which effectively shielded harry from the rest of the room, and whilst Hermione arms came around him from behind pulling him closer to her, Ron hollered for quiet.

"Will you all give it a bloody rest? Give Harry a chance to explain before you all start screeching at him". With a final glare around the room he moved back to stand next to Harry and Hermione. Looking down at Harry, he smirked "You all right there mate?"

Harry sheepishly and reluctantly stepped out of Hermione's arms, elbowing Ron in retaliation and forcing him over to the side so he could stand between them. Secure with his friends beside him, he looked over the room.

"I wrote her a letter. Madame Bones. I simply told her that I have been suffering from panic attacks since the start summer, what with Cedric's death and all. I said I had one under the bridge and instinctively cast a Patronus in order to feel safe and comforted - I figured everybody knows what my Patronus is and what it represents, so it seemed like a believable reason for casting it." He noticed the widening of several pairs of eyes at his blatant lying to the MoM and decided to rush out the last bit before his nerve failed him completely. "I explained that I had been seeing a muggle therapist to work out my, erm, issues and that I was getting better…"

"But you haven't though! Have you Harry? I mean, you're not supposed to leave the wards, Professor Dumbledore said…"

"…of course not Mione!" He quickly re-assured her "do you really believe I would be that stupid?"

Hermione had the grace to blush "I only worry…" she trailed off.

"I know" He smiled at her "I also reminded her that the only people that witnessed the spell was Dudley, who as my cousin knows about magic, and Mrs Fig, who is a squib and is therefore also aware of magic. I told her I was really, really sorry and that I was working really, really hard to get better" he frowned as he said that, scrunching his nose up in a way that made him seem a lot younger that belied his fifteen years of age. "I think I maybe over did the 'really' part of it as she wrote me a whole page about how emotions can get away from the best of people and how witches and wizards a lot older than me struggle when trying to cope with the realities of death"

He paused and looked down, lost in thought for a moment, pale and in pain, fighting the urge to simply drop were he was and curl up in a ball. The more everyone stared at him incredulously, the stronger the urge became to hide; hide from his-self, hide from them; to hide away from him-self what he was already hiding from them.

They watched him visibly shiver and fight hard to pull himself together.

"Anyhow…" he raised his head, gaze settling on no-one person "…the end result was I got away with it. No expulsion, no wand breaking, and no hearing. Just a reminder to continue with my 'healing' and best wishes for the future"

Ron and Hermione's jubilation was the final straw for Harry. Ron clapped him on the shoulder and Hermione wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed. With a cry of pain, his legs went out from under him and down he went. Taken by surprise, Hermione and Ron were not quick enough to take even his slight weight.

Harry's last memory because his eyes closed was one of tangled arms and legs as his two friends gently tried to separate themselves from him and of the others all leaping towards him.

Chapter 2 done finally *grins*

Like it, love it, loathe it…reviews are my chocolate chip cookies!

And oh yeah…guess who's making his first appearance in Chapter 3?

*smirks* Ta Ta