Chapter 2 - Vino Veritas
Hermione Granger sat at the kitchen table in the Burrow and glanced at her watch. Eleven-fifty; Harry would be here soon. She actually felt quite nervous about seeing him again and she wished she knew why. She was joined in her vigil by Ron, Ginny and Mr & Mrs Weasley. All were sitting at the table with the exception of Mrs Weasley, who stood by the kitchen sink peering out of the window into the night.
Looking over at Ginny, she noticed that her friend seemed very nervous too. Ginny had spent the majority of the evening shifting from seat to seat, chewing her fingernails and constantly glancing at the clock. Hermione had a degree of sympathy for Ginny. She was well aware that the younger girl had seemingly achieved her dreams last term only for them to be snatched away from her after Dumbledore's funeral. Hermione could understand Harry's reasons for breaking off the relationship, but part of her felt that he was making a mistake. He had seemed very happy with Ginny last term and, Merlin knew, he had needed a little bit of happiness. Her insides still crawled when she thought of the way she had treated Harry last year. For the first time since they became friends she hadn't been there for him and fervently hoped that no lasting damage had been done to their friendship as a result.
And that was why she was nervous, she realised. Would he be angry with her? She had tried to make amends after the funeral by promising her full support and although Harry had seemed to accept this, she had seen the troubled look in his eyes. And the fact she wasn't allowed to write to him over the summer didn't help matters. Mad-Eye had been quite specific about that, but she had finally summoned the will to defy the old Auror and had written to Harry. Sending it by Muggle post had probably helped. Voldemort wouldn't deign to lower himself into considering such methods. She only wished that she had thought of it sooner.
She had enjoyed her summer, despite feeling pangs whenever she thought of Dumbledore and Harry. She had spent a lot of time with her parents; not doing anything much, just spending some quality time together. She wanted to be certain that her parents were in no doubt how much she loved them as she was well aware that with Dumbledore gone there was no guarantee of survival for anyone. It irked her sometimes that Ron and the rest of the Weasleys almost expected her to come straight to the Burrow each summer. Did they not realise that she had a family too? And that she might want to spend some time with them? She knew that they had her best interests at heart, and she loved them all, but sometimes she wondered about their insularity from the Muggle world.
She was distracted by a sudden movement from Ron as he stood up and casually walked over to the pot that was simmering on the hob. Just as he was about to lift the lid, his mother suddenly intervened.
'Ronald Weasley! Get away from that soup! I told you we would be waiting until Harry got here before we had anything to eat.'
'But, mum, I'm starving. Can't I have just a little bit to keep me going? Please?'
'You are always starving,' Molly replied, 'It's your natural state. Now get away from that soup or you will get nothing when Harry does arrive. Honestly, I don't know where you put it all. Sometimes I think you must have hollow legs.'
Ron looked over at Hermione and rolled his eyes before sullenly returning to his seat.
'Do you think Harry will be OK?' he asked suddenly. 'Only, I know that he has had a lot on his plate recently, and spending a month with those Muggles won't have been easy.'
'I'm sure he is fine,' she replied, 'he has probably been bored out of his mind, but things will be OK once he gets here.' She had deliberately kept her tone light, and she hoped that Ron didn't notice her discomfort. Unwittingly, he had asked the very thing that had been at the front of her mind for most of the summer. She was worried about Harry, but she hadn't credited Ron with having the imagination to think the same. This was perhaps a bit unfair on him. He may not be the most sensitive of souls, but he did care a great deal about Harry and had been friends with him for longer than she had.
Longer, but not necessarily better, she thought, and then admonished herself for the conceit. That may have been true once, but could she really claim to be a true friend after what had happened last year? She thought back to his face when she had spoken of his 'saving people thing' before the rescue attempt at the Ministry. She hadn't meant to wound him; she was only trying to make him stop and think, but he had looked as if she had slapped him. The fact she had been proven correct was no consolation to her. Harry had asked for help and she had deeply offended him.
The events at the Ministry had shaken her to the core, and she thought that may have had something to do with her behaviour last year. She had always been aware on some level that there was an inherent danger to being a friend of Harry Potter, but nearly getting killed that night had really driven home what was at stake. She had returned home last summer a lot more subdued and had withdrawn into herself. She had decided that she was going to have to be more prudent to avoid a repeat of what had happened. Harry and Ron were always acting rashly; dashing into dangerous situations without thinking or planning, and surviving by the skin of their teeth. That being the case, she would have to be the voice of reason for the three of them. If they were not going to consider the hazards, then she would have to do it on their behalf, she had decided.
And so when Harry had come to her with his suspicions about Malfoy and Snape, she had refused to take him seriously. She believed she was doing this for the best and that she was keeping them safe by not plunging into some hare-brained scheme. It hadn't occurred to her at the time that Harry needed her, needed her counsel and needed her support.
And then Dumbledore had been murdered and everything changed.
It was as if she had been walking in darkness and someone had flipped on the light. Harry had been right and her misjudgement, her prudence, her cowardice even, had led to the death of the Headmaster and nearly to the death of Harry as well. He still had not spoken in detail of the events of that night and she was actually terrified at the thought of what he had endured. And then it had occurred to her that although she had nearly been killed at the Ministry, Harry had faced death every year since coming to Hogwarts and had lost nearly everyone that had cared about him in his young life. First his parents; then his Godfather. Now it was his teacher and mentor who had been killed. He had witnessed it all, and knowing Harry, probably blamed himself for it all too. And on those occasions when he had rushed in without thinking, had he not saved lives? Ginny in second year; Sirius a year later. And then of course he had saved her life in first year by charging headlong into a duel with a mountain troll. She had not complained that day about his rashness. Finally she had realised how selfish she had been. What sort of a friend lets their own fears take precedence over the needs of others?
She was drawn out of her reverie by an awareness that Ron was talking to her.
'I said HERMIONE! Are you OK? You seemed to switch off for a minute there. I've been trying to get your attention for a bit now.'
'Sorry, Ron. I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind. We have a lot to talk to Harry about.'
Ron nodded and looked as if he might reply, but thought better of it and looked away again.
It had been strange, but neither of them had seemed willing to talk about Harry since she arrived yesterday. It was as if the two of them were determined to put the events of last year behind them by pretending they had never happened. And that was without going over the whole Lavender/McLaggan affair. She knew that issue would have to be resolved, and soon, because there was too much at stake to ignore it. She and Ron had been walking on eggshells round each other since yesterday and it had to stop.
'We have a lot to talk about too, Ron,' she added. Ron looked round at her again and turned a bright shade of red.
'Yeah, we do,' he replied. They held each others gaze for a moment before a loud CRACK could be heard coming from the garden.
'They're here! They're here!' cried Molly. 'Come on everyone, Harry's here.'
Hermione broke her gaze away from Ron. She felt unable to move for a second and her heart was pounding in her chest at the mention of Harry's arrival. Without casting a glance back at Ron she dashed to the back door and raced into the garden.
Ron made to follow but for some reason chanced a look at Ginny. Her eyes had followed Hermione out of the door and she had a very thoughtful look on her face. She noticed Ron watching her and gave him a thin smile.
'Shall we?' she asked, tilting her head towards the door.
'Sure,' replied Ron. 'After you.'
Ginny strode to the door and Ron followed, deep in thought. She might not have realised, but Ron had noticed both expressions on Ginny's face when her eyes had followed Hermione out of the room. The thoughtful look; and the look of resentment that had preceded it.
Trouble ahead, he thought to himself.
**************
Harry found himself facing the back door of the Burrow feeling slightly disorientated. Lupin had let go of his arm as soon as they arrived and the effects of the Apparition, coupled with his shock at Dudley's parting words had left him slightly light headed; a feeling that wasn't helped when the back door of the house was suddenly thrown open and the bright lights from within penetrated the pitch darkness outside, temporarily blinding him.
'Harry! Oh Harry! Happy birthday!'
Harry smiled. Hermione. But before he could open his mouth to reply he was suddenly engulfed in a ferocious hug that knocked the wind from his lungs. Already struggling to regain his wits, this last event was enough to finally tip the scales and he fell crashing to the ground with Hermione splayed on top of him.
'Hi, good to see you too,' he said, laughing as he tried to disentangle himself.
His laughter was infectious, with Lupin, Tonks, Molly and Arthur all joining in.
'Do I not get a welcome hug too, Hermione?' asked Remus, with one eyebrow arched questioningly.
Hermione struggled to her feet, muttering under her breath about only being pleased to see Harry. She too was laughing, but stopped abruptly when she saw the look on Ron and Ginny's faces as they finally caught up with the rest of the group. She turned a bright shade of crimson and hoped that it was too dark for anyone to notice.
'Hi, Harry, it's great to see you mate. Happy birthday,' said Ron, now smiling as he offered his hand to help Harry to his feet. Harry gratefully accepted the offer and allowed himself to be hauled up, before vigorously shaking Ron's hand.
'Thanks, Ron, it's good to see you too. It's been a long summer; I thought I was never going to get here.'
'Happy birthday, Harry,' said Ginny, approaching him. She opened her arms and gave him a quick embrace, but his response was timid and he let go as soon as he could, hopefully without causing offence.
'Thanks, Ginny,' he replied, 'you…you're looking well.'
His reticence had been noticed though and Ginny eyed him curiously for a moment. The four teenagers stood looking at one another and Harry could sense awkwardness between them. Thankfully, it did not last long as Molly rushed over to him, wiping tears from her eyes.
'Oh, Harry, it's so good to see you. Happy birthday!' she bubbled as she enveloped him in her arms. 'You're so thin! Now come on, you must come inside. I have some soup heating on the hob and it should be ready by now.'
On the way into the house, Harry accepted hugs, handshakes and congratulations from Tonks, Remus and Arthur. He was grateful for the interruption as he needed some time to assimilate what had just occurred. He was well aware of the awkwardness between him and his friends, but he didn't want to deal with it right now. Instead, he was looking forward to some of Mrs Weasley's excellent cooking and an update on what he had missed since his exile to the Dursleys.
*******
Twenty minutes later a fed and watered Harry sat back in his chair and relaxed. Mrs Weasley's cooking was up to her usual excellent standards and he had lavished praise on both the soup and the home made bread that accompanied it. The conversation had been light and frivolous with the upcoming wedding being the main topic. Hermione, Ginny, Molly and Tonks were going on about 'colour schemes' and 'floral arrangements' and the men round the table listened in with a look of bemusement as if the women were talking in Greek. Harry had hardly said a word, but was still happy to just bask in the warmth of his friends. Indeed, he couldn't remember feeling as contented for a long time.
Arthur suddenly rose from the table and disappeared for a moment. He returned with his hands behind his back and a mischievous look on his face.
'Well, Harry, I'm sure you are keen to hear everything that has been going on since you went to your relatives house, but can I suggest we relax a bit first before we go into details? After all, you are now a man in the eyes of the wizarding world, so it's about time we introduced you to one of the few benefits of getting older.' With a wink towards Remus, he produced a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky from behind his back and set it on the table.
'Really, Arthur, is this necessary?' asked Molly. 'I mean, it's very late and I'm sure Harry just wants to go to bed. And I don't think it's a good idea to encourage him to start drinking.'
'Come on, Molly, it's his seventeenth birthday. Let him relax and enjoy himself a little. Do you not remember your seventeenth birthday dear?' he added with a glint in his eye. Molly flushed a little, and for once was at a loss for words.
'I don't think she does remember, Arthur,' said Lupin with a laugh, 'maybe that's why she doesn't want Harry to drink.'
'It's OK, Mrs Weasley, really,' added Harry. 'I want to know what's been going on and I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight if I am still wondering about it. Besides,' he added with a grin, 'I've always wondered what Firewhisky tastes like.'
As if taking that as his cue, Arthur summoned eight glasses from the sideboard and began filling them with generous measures of the golden spirit. Molly looked as if she was about to protest about Ginny receiving a glass, but evidently thought better of it and said nothing.
'A toast!' said Arthur, raising his glass. 'To Harry Potter. Happy birthday and here's to many, many more.'
'Happy birthday, Harry,' chorused the rest of the room, and everyone took a drink of the raw liquor. Harry decided to see what all the fuss was about.
'Sweet Merlin,' he choked as the raw spirit burned his throat on the way down. He resisted the urge to cough but noticed that Hermione and Ginny had failed to do so. He glanced at Ron, his eyes beginning to water, and was relieved to see that his friend was also struggling to keep the moisture from his eyes.
'Phoah! That'll put hairs on your chest.'
'Really, Ronald,' said Hermione in a waspish tone, 'that kind of thing may turn you on, but a hairy chest isn't something that is high on my or Ginny's wish list.' She had struggled to say anything but felt that Ron's remark couldn't pass unnoticed.
Everyone laughed, and it did much to ease the mood in the room that had threatened to turn a bit uncomfortable when Arthur had suggested discussing the latest news. Harry took another mouthful of Firewhisky before speaking. It didn't seem so bad this time. Actually quite nice really.
'So what has been happening? Has Voldemort made any moves?' He ignored the winces from everyone except Moony and Hermione.
He had addressed the question to Arthur, but the older man looked over to Remus, his expression a question. Remus stood up and began pacing the room, his features betraying the fact that he was deep in thought.
'No, is the short answer, Harry,' he began, 'but I think it is a bit more complicated than that. The Order has had people out on the streets trying to pick up information. We have hit just about every dodgy bar and trader in the country but we aren't hearing anything. It would seem that Voldemort is biding his time for the moment.'
'But why would he do that?' asked Hermione. 'Surely after Dumbledore's death, the time would be ripe for him to make a move?'
'You would think so,' replied Lupin, 'but it's not as simple as that. I think that Dumbledore's death has really thrown him and he isn't sure what to do next. One of his more admirable qualities is his strategic ability. He thinks and plans long term, and I'm sure every plan he had was contingent on Dumbledore being alive. He will be revising his strategy and he always takes his time with that.'
'But he attacked Hogwarts to get Dumbledore,' protested Ron. 'We know now that Malfoy was plotting his death all year and that he let the Death Eaters into the castle.' He pointedly avoided looking at Harry as he said this.
'Think about it, Ron,' said Lupin, 'do you really think that Voldemort expected Malfoy to succeed in killing Dumbledore? Or that any of the other Death Eaters would manage it? Even Snape? No, Dumbledore was much too powerful for ten times the number that attacked Hogwarts. Voldemort wasn't to know that Dumbledore would be weakened from a previous assignment; he would not have expected the attack to succeed in killing Albus.'
'So why attack then?' asked Ron.
'I don't know,' replied Lupin. 'He will have had his reasons. As I said, one of his most admirable qualities is his ability to plan long term. What's the matter, Harry?'
He had asked this because Harry had suddenly sat up bolt right in his seat as something occurred to him. If Dumbledore had not been the target that night, then Harry had a pretty good idea what Voldemort was really after. He could not discuss this at the moment however; he had to wait to speak to Ron and Hermione alone.
'Nothing,' he lied, 'it's just that I don't like hearing the word 'admirable' in relation to Voldemort.'
The lie seemed to have done the trick, as Lupin merely nodded gravely.
'Harry, it is vital that you listen to what I have to say here, because it might save your life. You must not underestimate Voldemort.'
Harry made to reply but Lupin cut him off.
'You must realise that Voldemort does have many admirable qualities. It's what makes him so dangerous. He is a master strategist; he is magically powerful; he is patient; he is very, very intelligent; he keeps a tight rein on his emotions and he never, ever reveals his plans until he is ready.' Lupin had been ticking the points off on his fingers as he recited the list, but he stopped and looked Harry directly in the eye. 'These qualities in themselves are admirable. It is only the use that Voldemort puts them to that is reprehensible. Please do not lose sight of that fact, I beg you.'
Harry was suddenly reminded of the day he had bought his wand in Diagon Alley. Old Ollivander had said something similar to him. Had said that Voldemort had done 'Great things; terrible, but great.' And he understood what Remus was saying.
'It's OK, Remus. I'm not likely to underestimate him. I've seen him in action, remember?' It wasn't said harshly, but it cast a shadow in the room.
'I know, Harry,' replied Remus softly, 'but I had to be sure.' He took a deep breath before continuing. 'There has been very little activity from Voldemort, but the Ministry has managed to catch a few of the less important Death Eaters, and it's perhaps the developments there that are of the most significance.'
'Who did they catch?' asked Harry. He noticed that Arthur had surreptitiously refilled his glass as Remus was speaking. He took another sip, enjoying the warmth now that he was getting used to it.
'Avery, Nott and MacNair.'
'Are they back in Azkaban?'
'No, the Ministry executed them. Hanged them,' replied Remus.
Harry went rigid at this news. 'Executed them? Executed them? Since when has the Ministry had the power to execute people?' He looked at the faces around the room as if suspecting some trick or other, but the solemn looks confirmed that this was for real.
'Since last week. Here, take a look at this.'
Remus handed Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet, dated from the previous week. He quickly scanned the front page, discovering for the first time just what changes had taken place over the summer. 'Can they really do this?' he finally asked.
'They can, and they have. Technically it's legal and constitutional. Rufus has really done his homework on this one. We are now living in a restricted society, Harry.' Remus had not said what he thought about the new measures, but the tone of his voice betrayed his feelings on the matter.
'I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this,' said Harry, 'I mean, hanging people? Restricting the press? Holding suspects without trial?'
'I don't think it's such a bad thing,' interjected Ron. 'Those Death Eaters were known murderers. I won't lose any sleep over it. I mean, if you haven't done anything wrong you have nothing to worry about; right?' He addressed this last to Remus, who barely acknowledged it.
'It's not as simple as that, Ron,' said Hermione. 'The Ministry has taken away some very important freedoms from us. They can act with impunity against anyone they deem to be a threat. It's all very well saying it's for our own protection, but what gives them the right to decide who needs protecting from whom? Who will protect us from them? 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodies,' she added.
'You know I don't speak French, Hermione,' said Ron.
'It's Latin, Ron. Honestly, sometimes I wonder! 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?' Who will guard us from the guards?'
Hermione's little language lesson brought a few snickers to the room. Harry suppressed a grin so as not to upset Ron.
'I agree with Hermione,' said Harry. He did not notice the sudden flush of pleasure on Hermione's face at these words. 'This doesn't sit well with me at all. Is this why you couldn't bring me here before I turned seventeen? Do you really think the Ministry would have held me without charge?'
'Probably not, Harry,' said Lupin, 'but we couldn't take the risk. So there you have it. That's what has been going on since the funeral.'
''It's a lot,' replied Harry. He sat in silence for a minute, trying to absorb this information and its implications. He let the conversation wash over him - he wasn't in the mood at the moment for a philosophical discussion on the pros and cons of the Ministry position. He was only aware of a sense of unease as he did not like the new restrictions. He took another drink and noticed with regret that his glass was now empty. He felt very tired now after three large glasses, so he supposed it didn't really matter now.
'I think it's about time that we all headed of to bed,' said Molly pointedly. 'We have a lot to do tomorrow and will do it better after a good night's sleep.'
No one seemed inclined to argue about this. Besides, the bottle of whisky was now empty, so with rather subdued movements, they bid each other goodnight.
'See you in the morning,' said Hermione as she gave Harry a hug. 'We have a lot to discuss.'
'Goodnight, everyone,' said Lupin and Tonks together. They walked out into the garden and stood with arms linked before Apparating away. It was only then that it dawned on Harry that they must be going to the same destination. Were they now living together? He made a mental note to ask Remus in the morning.
After washing and cleaning their teeth, Harry and Ron collapsed into their beds. They hadn't spoken to each other alone yet, and Harry thought that Ron probably had a few things to say to him. He was tired, but thought it would probably be best to talk now without either Hermione or Ginny present. It did not occur to him that they were both still feeling the effects of a few large shots of Firewhisky, so with hindsight, the conversation that transpired was perhaps not totally unexpected.
'You OK, Harry? We've been worried about you,' said Ron as he slipped into his bed.
'Yeah, I'm fine. Glad to be here. It's really good to see you again.'
A slightly uncomfortable silence ensued as Harry pulled back his covers and climbed into his bed. Ron finally plucked up the courage to speak.
'Harry, do you mind if I ask you something?'
'Not at all.'
'If it's none of my business, tell me to bugger off.'
'I said it was alright, Ron, fire away.'
'Are you really breaking up with Ginny for good? Or is it just until we finish what we have to do? I hate asking, but she is my sister, and she has been a bit upset all summer. She really likes you, Harry.'
'I know, Ron, and I really like her.' Ron's face brightened. 'But not in that way. Not anymore.' He glanced across to his friend and noticed a sad look on his face now. 'It's hard to explain. Last year was very difficult for me. You had Lavender. Hermione wasn't herself and I guess I was just feeling a bit lonely. I was attracted to Ginny - she is a wonderful girl - and I loved her company, but the more time we spent together the more I realised that I didn't love her in the way that she wanted me to. I suppose it felt a bit like kissing your sister,' he added as an afterthought.
'But you were kissing my sister,' said Ron, sounding confused.
'Not your sister. My sister. If I had one. Kissing Ginny was like what it would be like to kiss my own sister. If I had one that is.' Harry ran this sentence through his head again to see if it made sense. It did. Just. It was at this moment that he realised he had drunk quite a lot of Firewhisky.
'So what you are saying is that you kissing Ginny feels the same as me kissing Ginny?'
Harry nodded.
'Oh.' Ron considered this for a moment. 'Gross.'
'I know, but there is nothing I can do about it. I came to realise this over the summer. I hope you are not angry with me. The last thing I wanted to do was to hurt Ginny. I do love her, but…'
'...only as a sister. Yeah, yeah. I get it.' Ron paused for a second. 'It's OK, Harry, I'm not angry with you. How could I be? You're my best mate. Ginny will get over it. She will just have to. You can't change the way you feel about someone just because they want you to.'
'Thanks, Ron.'
'You will have to tell her though. You know that don't you? It's not fair to string her along.'
'I know. I'll tell her the first chance I get. I Promise.'
In the silence that ensued, Harry thought that Ron was becoming quite philosophical in his old age. Or maybe it was just the booze. He had a question of his own he wanted answering, however, and now was as good a time as any to ask it. And considering how much alcohol they had both consumed, it was probably a better time than most.
'Can I ask you something, Ron? It's personal.'
'Sure.'
'What's going on between you and Hermione?' There. He had said it. This was easy.
Ron froze for a second before answering.
'In what way?'
'In the way that you two have been dancing around one another for the past year without doing anything about it. Do you like her? Romantically I mean?' he added, so there could be no ambiguity about his question.
'I don't know. I don't think so.'
'What do you mean you don't know? Either you like her or not,' said Harry, sitting up and eying his friend accusingly.
Ron sighed. 'It's not that simple, Harry. Things between me and Hermione can be…difficult. Sometimes I think that I really do fancy her. I mean, she is pretty and smart and loyal and kind; and at times I really feel like we have a connection, you know? But then she goes and does or says something that drives me nuts. And I know I do the same to her. I don't think we are very compatible. I mean, how much do we really have in common? When I talk about Quidditch, I bore her. And then she talks about stuff that is so far over my head that I can't even see the bottom of it. I think I was attracted to the idea of going of going out with her, especially after you hooked up with Ginny. I thought you would be spending less time with me and Hermione, so it seemed the obvious thing for us to get together. But I realise now that we are not very well suited for one another. I mean, she thinks in curves; I think in straight lines. I don't think we would work together.'
Harry was surprised by the eloquence Ron was displaying. He was also aware that his heart had given a little skip when Ron concluded that he didn't like Hermione romantically. He decided to ignore that for the moment.
'You seem to be thinking OK tonight - straight or otherwise.'
'Yeah, the whisky is probably helping. Anyway, something occurred to me not that long ago that made me doubt my feelings for her. If I wasn't friends with you, and you weren't friends with her, would Hermione and I be friends? Probably not, if I'm honest with myself. I'm grateful that she is my friend, but I suspect that we will never be more than that. I'm not too upset about it; you can't help the way you are.'
Harry looked at his friend thoughtfully. He had never credited Ron with having the imagination or sensitivity that he had displayed tonight. Maybe they should drink more often. There was one final issue to be resolved though.
'Are we OK? Things were a bit strange last year.'
'Yeah I know, and I'm sorry.'
'There's no need-…'
'Yes there is. I was a bit of a prat last year. To you and to Hermione. It's about time I removed my head from my arse and grew up a bit.'
'Me too. I must have been a nightmare last year. I'm sorry.'
'You had a lot to deal with after the Ministry. After Sirius.'
Both were silent for a long moment, deep in thought.
'Whatever happens, Harry, you're my best mate. You always will be. Nothing will change that.'
'Thanks, Ron. You too. My best mate I mean. We cool then?'
'We're cool.' Ron grinned suddenly. 'What do you reckon? Shall we try and creep downstairs and 'liberate' some more of dad's Firewhisky?'
Harry looked at his friend for a moment. It was obvious that Ron was trying to get them back onto more familiar ground after such a frank conversation. He realised that he had his best mate back, without having fully appreciated that he had been gone, and suddenly things didn't look quite so bad. A weight that Harry hadn't even noticed on his shoulders was now gone. Then his face split into a smile. The first proper, genuine smile he'd had in months.
'Sure.'