Disclaimer: None of it is mine…
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Loaded down with several bags from Diagon Alley, Harry, Ron and Hermione finally made it onto the Hogwarts Express free from further drama. Harry and Ron sat down opposite Hermione and began to theorize about Mr Weasley's revelations.
"Ron, can't you tell me any more?" Harry begged. "You've got to remember I haven't heard anything since the end of last term".
Hermione and Ron exchanged guarded looks across the carriage. Harry caught the tension and looked quizzical. "What's going on?" he asked.
"Nothing" said Hermione. "Nothing" echoed Ron.
"If you wanted to make it convincing" said Harry "then agreeing with each other was a bad start. What's going on?"
"Oh Harry" sighed Hermione. Harry was just starting to get annoyed when Ron said matter-of-factly "My mum asked us not to tell you. She thinks Dumbledore should bring you up to date on what's happened since you've been gone."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry with an ominous sense of foreboding.
"Harry we know how hard last term was for you" added Hermione. "We don't want to upset you."
"I'm not a kid Hermione!" said Harry angrily, feeling excluded. "I'm a big boy now and the last thing I need is to feel like my friends are conspiring without me."
"Hold off Harry" said Ron quickly as Hermione turned away. "We're not conspiring. It's just hard to know what to say."
"Oh it's hard for you is it" said Harry bitterly, aware that he was being unreasonable but too frustrated to care. "You helped the wizard who killed your parents to come back to power did you? You saw Cedric die in your place. You saw your dead parents as shadows in a time of crisis. You had to face Cedric's parents. You're the Boy Who Lived."
Hermione and Ron stared mutely at him. Harry's face was red, his eyes shining with tears and his dishevelled hair angrily sticking out in fury.
"We didn't mean to upset you" whimpered Hermione.
Harry melted. "I'm sorry" he said. "It's hard for all of us. But please, tell me from the beginning."
"Cedric's death made it into the papers" began Ron. "the Ministry tried to play it down but it was clear something had happened. Rumours filtered out through students at Hogwarts who had heard Dumbledore's speech. It was crazy for a while."
"After that" continued Hermione "when the Ministry wouldn't comment and the expected tragedy didn't happen, things started to calm down."
"No news is good news" added Ron dolefully. "Dad, Bill and Percy were working around in the clock in the background rallying all the support that they can. They're running scenarios and training and they've called in the Order of the Phoenix to consult."
"The Order of the Phoenix?" asked Harry but his question was ignored in the flow of narrative.
"There's other stuff too Harry." Said Hermione resolutely "I'm sorry but there were leaks from the Ministry denying Voldemort's return and…well…"
"They tried to make out that you were crazy" summarized Ron bluntly. Harry couldn't help but smile. "Not for the first time" he said.
"Yeah but this time they were good" said Hermione. Harry and Ron shot her looks of annoyance. "Well, not 'good' good" she defended herself "clever good. Harry, they made a good case" she said regretfully. "It's easier to believe that you're crazy than that Voldemort is back."
"Part of the scheme altered the events of the Triwizard tournament. They can't say it directly because of the magic libel curse each publication has to maintain by law, but they're hinting that you were partially responsible for Cedric's death as part of the competition."
At this all vestiges of Harry's smile vanished. "I'm so so sorry Harry" said Hemione leaning forward so that her wavy hair fell like a curtain across her face.
"Harry no one important believed that rubbish and my Dad is going to register a complaint as soon as all this You Know Who business is done with" added Ron.
Inopportunely Draco, along with Crab and Goyle, walked past their compartment at this point and yelled "We know you're in there killer."
The room was silent. Ron placed a hand awkwardly on Harry's shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"I've been better" said Harry frankly.
Ron's mouth was opening and shutting like a goldfish as he tried desperately to find something appropriate to say. Failing he went with the reliable "That food trolley is taking its time isn't it?". The moment the falsely cheerful words were out of his mouth he regretted them.
Harry couldn't help but smile at the look of comic dismay. Hermione gave Ron a look of contempt and mouthed "idiot".
"Harry, what Ron is trying to say is that we're here for you and we always will be. You're our friend and we never believed any of that rubbish for a second" she said firmly.
Harry looked into her unwavering gaze and felt a wave of comfort wash over him.
"Yeah, that's what I meant" said Ron sulkily.
Just then the trolley appeared at their door. Hermione's amused glance met Harry's as the two of them registered the humour. Ron blushed. "Laugh all you want" he said "I'm a growing boy".
Harry waved the lady inside and ordered a healthy selection from the trolley. "I don't want to talk about it any more just yet" he said. "Tell me what else happened to you over the summer. I'll go first…well, on second thoughts, maybe someone who actually left the house should go first!"
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