Phoenix

Fitting Back Together

I had not expected Hermione's anger to abate overnight, and was therefore unsurprised that she communicated mainly by dirty looks and pointed silences next morning. Ron responded by maintaining an unnaturally sombre demeanour in her presence as an outward sign of continuing remorse. I was still wary of Ron. No one breaks my trust and earns it back overnight. But for the sake of the team, I shoved my feelings aside and remained civil.

We spent most days following leads and most evening catching up and discussing what to do next. Ron was now filling us in on everything he had discovered about the wider wizarding world during his weeks away.

"... and how did you find out about the Taboo?" Ron asked Harry, after explaining the many desperate attempts of Muggle-borns to evade the Ministry.

"The what?"

'You lot have stopped saying You-Know-Who's name!"

"Oh, yeah. Well, it's just a bad habit we've slipped into," said Harry. "But I haven't got a problem calling him V—"

"NO!"roared Ron, causing Harry to jump into the hedge and Hermione (nose buried in a book at the tent entrance) to scowl over at us.

"Sorry," said Ron, wrenching Harry back out of the brambles, "but the name's been jinxed, that's how they track people! Using his name breaks protective enchantments, it causes some kind of magical disturbance – it's how they found us in Tottenham Court Road!"

"Because we used his name?" I said.

"Exactly! You've got to give them credit, it makes sense. It was only people who were serious about standing up to him, like Dumbledore, who ever dared use it. Now they've put a Taboo on it, anyone who says it is trackable – quick and easy way to find Order members! They nearly got Kingsley –"

"You're kidding?"

"Kendra." Hermione looked up from her book with a stoney expression directed at Ron. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

I looked at Harry and Ron, and shrugged at them, then walked over to Hermione.

"Why are you talking to him?" she continued to glare at Ron.

"He hasn't regained my trust or anything," I said. "But he learned a lot of useful stuff while he was gone and it's important for us to know. Like did you know that if you say You-Know-Who's name he can track us?"

"What?" Hermione gasped.

"It's a good thing Ron is here to warm us." I glanced at Hermione out of the corner of my eye.

She sniffed. "I suppose."

"Look, I know Ron really hurt you." I said. "He hurt me too! But we have a job to do and we can't let our feelings get in the way of it."

"Alright," Hermione agreed warily. "But I don't trust him."

I smiled sadly. "I don't trust him yet either, but hopefully he'll earn it back."

Hermione nodded and turned back to her book.

Later that night we all went back to the tent. It felt crowded now that Ron was back, but I preferred the crowded feeling to the bitter emptiness when he was gone.

Ron was lying on his bunk listening to the radio, and Hermione was still reading a book. Harry day by the tent opening, practicing minor spells with his wand. I approached Harry and sat next to him.

"Don't stress about the wand," I said.

He gave me a look that would have resembled a glare if his heart was in it.