Harry guessed at what Ron didn't say; that he didn't want to share Harry and maybe even Hermione with other people.
"Those other people are not going away, Ron." Harry pointed out crisply. "I have alliances and responsibilities and…and, you're my best friend, and that's never going to change," he saw Ron's face brighten, "but I also like having more friends than just you, me and Hermione."
He sensed Ron's confusion.
"At the beginning of the Summer, I was thinking about how we stopped talking to Hermione over the Firebolt, you remember?" Harry said.
Ron nodded.
"And I thought if you and I had fallen out, who would I have spent time with? Hermione, sure, but who else? I realised I'd kind of, uh, hidden behind you and Hermione because of all the Boy Who Lived stuff." Harry admitted. "So, there wouldn't have been anybody else because I didn't know anybody else."
"Except Neville." Ron muttered.
"Not really." Harry said simply. "Neither of us have paid much attention to Neville these last couple of years, which was pretty bad of us when you think about it, because we had each other but who has Neville had? He's never said anything but it can't have been great us and Dean and Seamus ignoring him all the time."
"Not all the time." Ron said defensively.
"Most of the time." Harry insisted. He looked away into the distant sky. "I sometimes think it could so easily have been me who ended up without a close friend in our dorm. If you had sat with him instead of me…"
"Weird, mate," Ron commented, "since I sometimes think it could have been me, you know, not having a friend, if you and Neville had grown up together like you were supposed to."
Harry nodded at him, sensing Ron was finally getting it. "Right, but we didn't grow up together and you sat with me so…it's Neville on his own and…" he sighed, "Neville doesn't deserve that when we can all be friends."
"I understand I guess," Ron sighed heavily, "it's…I hate the godbrother stuff you two go on about it? You're my best friend."
"I am," Harry agreed fervently, "but Neville's Mum and my Mum were best friends; his Dad and my Dad were like brothers. If Neville's parents hadn't been attacked I would have grown up with Neville as my brother so…I'm not going to ignore that we were supposed to be family." He stopped Ron with a look when he went to argue. "You have your family, Ron. You have your brothers and Ginny."
"I'm happy to share them with you." Ron said quickly.
"And I really appreciate the sentiment but you can't, not really. They're yours." Harry pointed out. "And you don't get what it's like to not have them, Ron. Not to have them or your parents. You've never had to open presents at Christmas and know there isn't one from your parents – and seriously I hope you never do." He waited a beat. "But Neville knows what that feels like, so if he and I can be family for each other, well, I think that's what our parents wanted."
Ron nodded slowly and heaved another sigh. "I've been a bit of a prat, haven't I?"
"Yeah, but you're my prat." Harry said with a small smile. "Come on; it's lunch time. I'm voting we eat in the kitchen so I can avoid the masses and everyone thinking I'm crazy."
"On the plus side, I haven't seen any stalkers yet." Ron offered cheerfully as they started the climb back down the stands.
Harry brightened. That was true. Nobody had stalked him at all when he'd left the tower. Maybe his craziness would put off the horde of girls wondering if he was going to date them.
Huh.
Maybe every cloud did have a silver lining.
o-O-o
As they stepped into Albus's office at Hogwarts, Sirius considered again whether he should have had Albus stay back in Black Manor after the War Council for their discussion. It might have been better to have talked to him about the whole problematic issue of Albus keeping secrets on Sirius's home ground and with the officialdom of the War Council providing a back drop. But Sirius figured he could sneak a visit to Harry on his way out of the school and in truth he wasn't too intimidated by the Headmaster's office he found himself in.
Fawkes cried out a greeting and swooped over as Sirius took his seat. Sirius patted him and accepted Albus's offer of refreshments.
A house elf popped in immediately with a pot of tea and some English muffins.
Albus played Mum and poured the tea, handing over the delicate china cup with an openly curious expression. "I have to admit that I thought you might want to talk to me about the fallout from the discovery of Harry's mind healing. I was impressed that you managed to keep it out of the Prophet except for some minor hints in Miss Skeeter's article."
"I, or rather Brian, reminded the editor that Harry is a minor and any details about his medical treatment appearing in a newspaper would definitely result in legal action." Sirius said. "When Harry alerted me to the potential problem yesterday, he mentioned that everyone was staring at him?"
"Ah, well, it is not the first time he has been the centre of attention," Albus allowed, "although in this instance I believe our new bullying policy has made it difficult for anyone to be deliberately cruel to him." He smiled briefly, his eyes twinkling. "That, and the fact that Mister Malfoy, and possibly much of the student body, is attempting to remain within Harry's good graces thanks to the political power he now knows he wields."
Sirius hummed an agreement.
"On a positive note, Doctor Jordan reports that five other students have requested mind healing since the news leaked of Harry's treatment." Albus commented.
"How many of them require it?" asked Sirius dryly.
Albus beamed at him. "Three of the five."
Sirius nodded slowly. Well, at least some good had come of it.
"On a serious note, Harry has quietly let it be known that the mind healing is primarily to do with the death threats." Albus continued. "I believe that has been accepted as an understandable reason why a caring parent has insisted upon him seeing a mind healer."
Clever little raven, Sirius thought admiringly. Harry had indicated he had come up with a plan when they'd talked; blaming his getting treatment on Sirius was a good way to go.
"I have to admit I continue to have my doubts that his knowing about the ritual is a good thing." Albus said.
The comment arrested Sirius's attention, the implicit criticism tensing Sirius's gut. He picked up his tea and took a sip to calm himself. "According to Harry I should have told him much sooner." He began. "He pointed out he wasn't a child."
"Do you feel you should have told him sooner?" Albus asked.
.
.
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