ronshakeshishead,astrikenlookonhisfae.“theyweresellinggingerquills!‘showyourloveforronweasley’andallthatshite!gingerquills!”

brushingherhairawayfromherfae,hermionesaysseriously,“theirnibsareatuallyreallyomfortabletouse.”

ronturnshishorrifiedexpressionherway.“youboughtagingerquill?”

hermionesmiles,hereyestwinkling.“ipassedbyashopsellingthemindiagonalley.showyourloveforronweasleyandallthatshite.”

andginnyburstsintoughterandharryughsalongwithherasron’sfaeturnsasredashishair,andit’sdefinitelynew,thisdynamiamongthem.

heandginnyhadometoanuandingthattheyweren’treadyforaretionship,withbothofthemstillmallthey’velost.ronandhermionehadbravelytakenonthehallenge,andharryhadbeenautiousatfirst,thinkingthatitwasonemorethingthathadtohange.butattheendoftheday,heloveshisfriends,isimmenselyproudofthemandtheirretionship,and—tely—havebeenthinkingthatmaybeitwon’tbesodifferentbetweenallofthemafterall.

thehogwartsexpressthisyearis,aspredited,sparselyoupied.

“parentswouldn’treallywanttobringtheirhildrenbak,aftereverythingthat’shappenedstyearwiththecarrows,”ginnysaysquietly,frowningatherhandsonherpasshereallsthethingsthathappenedstshoolyear.asthetrain’shornsoundsanditlurhesintoastart,shelooksatharrywithaworriedexpression.“and,ioverheardsomepeopletalkingindiagonalley.word’sgottenaroundthatmalfoy’salsoomingbak.”

harry’slipspresstogetherthinly.heanimagineit,motherswhisperingtoeahother,onviningeahothernottosendtheirsonsanddaughterstohogwartsbeauseofanex-deatheater.hean’treallybmethem,butitstillsourshismood.

“it’sjustusan