Harry was not in a very good mood the following day. He'd managed to get no sleep whatsoever. After making sure the parchment in the fireplace had completely burned to ashes, he'd sat at the table where Hermione had been working and took out a fresh sheet of parchment. He knew he'd be too keyed up to sleep, so he might as well do this now.

He'd scribbled a note off to Sirius, asking if there was any news of Voldemort's whereabouts. He'd tried to make the question sound as innocent as possible, but he held out little hope that Sirius wouldn't be suspicious of Harry's intentions. He only hoped his godfather would consider him enough of an adult to reply.

He'd taken the letter to the Owlery and sent Hedwig off into the rising sun, watching her until she was out of sight, before returning to the dormitory, where he ran into Ron, who was trudging off to the shower.

"What's got you up so early?" he asked Harry sleepily.

"Had to send an owl," was Harry's terse reply.

Ron looked at him quizzically, but when Harry offered no further information, he shrugged and moved on.

At breakfast, Harry and Hermione studiously avoided looking at each other. A quick glance at her told Harry that Hermione looked just as exhausted as he did. She'd evidently not had any sleep either. Harry knew that Ron and Ginny were going to sense that something was up if he and Hermione weren't careful, but the silence and the tension continued all morning.

Sure enough, Ginny spoke up at lunch. "What's got into the two of you?" she asked, looking from Harry to Hermione. "You both look as if you've been up all night."

Harry gave Hermione a warning look, and she turned pink.

"Hermione!" Ron said in mock outrage. "You haven't been cheating on me with Harry, have you?"

"Yes, Ron, we only waited for you to go to bed so Harry and I could engage in an all-night snog session." Hermione was trying to cover her discomfort by playing along, but she wasn't quite as convincing as she might have been.

Ron nudged her. "Come on, what's really up?"

"Can't tell you. I've been sworn to secrecy."

Harry dropped his fork, and it clattered loudly onto his plate, sending scrambled eggs everywhere. Hermione was looking hard at him. He glared back. He wasn't going to let her bully him into telling them himself. He could be just as stubborn as any Weasley when he wanted to be. As she had last night, Hermione looked away first.

"Oh, wait," said Ron grinning. "I think I know what all this is about. It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that it's someone's birthday in two days, would it?"

Harry felt himself blush. With everything else that had been going on, he'd managed to let Ginny's birthday slip his mind. He hadn't made any sort of arrangements to get her a present.

Ron took Harry's red face as confirmation. "Ha! I knew it!"

"Yes, that's right, Ron," Hermione deadpanned. "I've been helping Harry plan something special, but we wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, would we?"

Hermione was looking at Harry with something akin to triumph on her face. Great, Harry thought. Now he was going to have to come up with something at the last minute and make it look as if he'd been planning it all along. Well, Hermione was bloody well going to help him now.

"Oh, I can't wait." Ginny sounded pleased. "I like surprises, as long as they're not the Fred and George variety."

"I guess that rules out the birthday cake laced with Canary Creams then," Harry said lamely.

Later as they got up from the table to go to their afternoon classes, Harry pulled Hermione aside. "What's the big idea?" he hissed.

Hermione looked at him innocently. "You didn't want me to tell them the truth, did you?" she replied between clenched teeth.

"Don't think you're going to get away with this. You're going to help me plan something for Ginny's birthday now."

Hermione didn't reply. She simply turned and headed for her Arithmancy class.

Harry spent the entire afternoon in Double Divination wondering what he was going to do about Ginny's birthday and not coming up with anything. It didn't help his creativity any when Professor Trelawney seemed to have suddenly decided to go back to her old game of predicting Harry's death. They were revising tarot cards, and Professor Trelawney had practically gone into a fit of rapture when she'd turned up a card that pictured a skeleton riding a horse.

As soon as the bell rang, Harry shot out of his seat and made his way straight to the Arithmancy corridor to head off Hermione. "Come on," he said without preamble, dragging her off to the fourth floor storage room.

"All right," he said once they were inside. "I've got to come up with a surprise for Ginny now."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. "You mean you haven't made any plans at all?"

"No, I suppose it slipped my mind with all this Voldemort stuff going on. But you got me into this, and now you're going to help get me out."

"You could send Hedwig with an order by owl post."

"No, I can't. I've sent Hedwig with a letter to Sirius"

Hermione looked at him sharply.

"I never told you I wasn't going to try to find out where Voldemort was," Harry pointed out.

"You could still send a school owl."

"Two days isn't enough time to arrange for anything good. Thanks to you, she's expecting something a bit better than a selection from Honeydukes."

"Time," Hermione said in a musing sort of way.

"What?"

"You could give her some time."

"I don't get it."

Hermione muttered something that sounded like "typical". She sighed before going on. "We've all been so busy lately with our studies and… everything. I'm sure you would rather have spent your Easter holiday doing something other than going through those books. Take an evening off. Spend it with her. You don't know when you're going to get another chance at that."

Harry knew she was right, but… "Well, it doesn't seem like much."

"You could take her to dinner."

"I eat dinner with her every night in the Great Hall!"

"So don't eat there. Dobby could fix you up with something."

"Like a picnic?"

"Maybe. Or…"

She looked around at the sad collection of broken-down furniture. Pointing her wand at one of the sofas, she muttered an incantation. The sofa transformed into a table set for two. It was covered with a white linen tablecloth, upon which stood fine china and a vase full of flowers.

"There you are, instant restaurant. You're only missing the food now, and Dobby can get you that."

"What's the catch?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, you're actually suggesting I make extra work for the house-elves?"

"Well, if you don't like my idea, you're welcome to come up with something on your own." And she left the room, leaving Harry to wonder if she wasn't up to something.

*

By the time Ginny's birthday had arrived, Harry thought he'd worked out what Hermione was trying to do. He'd lost precious study time when he'd gone down to the kitchens to make arrangements with an enthusiastic Dobby, and he was going to lose an entire evening tonight. Not that he was going to begrudge the time spent alone with Ginny. He knew Hermione was right about one thing. He didn't know if he was going to get another chance to do something like this again.

But it would also mean he'd have to make up for lost time. And time had been the key Hermione had latched onto. He had a sneaking suspicion she was trying to keep him occupied with school so he wouldn't seek out Voldemort. Well, there were still about seven weeks before term was over, and then they'd be finished for good. NEWTs or no NEWTs, she'd be hard pressed to fill that entire time period.

Sirius hadn't replied to his owl yet, but Harry wasn't concerned. It had only been two days, and depending on where Sirius was, Hedwig may not have had enough time to even reach him.

It was almost time for supper in the Great Hall, and most of the Gryffindors were beginning to drift in the general direction of the portrait hole. Harry put down his quill--he'd been cramming in a bit of revision now to make up for tonight. He looked up to see Ginny standing at his table looking expectant.

"My birthday's almost over," she said, smiling, "and I still haven't found out what the secret surprise is. I'm beginning to think the surprise is that there's no surprise."

Harry put a hand over his heart and tried to look hurt. "Such a lack of confidence… It won't be much longer." He didn't know what sort of surprise she'd been expecting, but suddenly he hoped she wouldn't be disappointed. "Look, it really isn't all that much."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that when I find out what it is?" She was positively glowing with anticipation. "When do I get to see it? After supper?"

"No, actually…" He stood up and took her hand. "Come on."

She followed him without a word until they turned aside on the fourth floor. "Aren't we going to supper then?" she asked, intrigued.

"I thought we could have our own private supper for once. I mean, I couldn't take you out to a restaurant or anything, but I hope this is all right."

They'd come to the door of the storage room, and Harry opened it. Ginny gasped and Harry's mouth dropped open. He'd told Dobby what he wanted the food for, but the house-elf must have added a few extra touches. The vase full of fresh flowers had been replaced by two candles in silver holders, and the rest of the room now had flower arrangements scattered about. The broken sofas and chairs had been removed, all but one sofa, and it looked to be in perfect condition. On the table itself were two silver domes covering their food, and at one of the places was a long, white box.

Harry definitely hadn't asked for that; he wasn't even sure what would be in it, but Ginny seemed to have an idea, judging from the squeal she let out. She rushed over and opened the box, while Harry did his best not to look surprised.

"Oh!" She'd taken the lid off the box. "Oh, there's more than a dozen here!" Harry could see what the box contained now: red roses. "There are seventeen in here. Oh, it's all so perfect!"

Harry began to redden. He wanted to protest that all this really hadn't been his idea, that he'd no more expected it than she had. But before he could say anything, she'd launched herself at him, thrown her arms around his neck and was kissing him. Harry's last conscious thought for the next while was that he was going to have to get something really nice for Dobby. Perhaps he'd buy Gladrags' entire line of socks.

Ginny pulled back. She was looking into his eyes and smiling, the expression on her face almost knowing, and that gave Harry pause. He certainly hoped she didn't think he'd brought her here to seduce her. Looking around the room, he realised how she might get just that impression, and yet that had been the furthest thing from his mind when he'd agreed to this. Not that he didn't want her. He just couldn't. Not now.

He looked at the joy radiating from her lovely face, and his heart sank. How was he ever going to leave her? He wondered if this hadn't been part of the point Hermione had wanted to drive home with him.

They enjoyed a rather fancy meal, and Ginny got quite giggly over the wine they found in their goblets. Afterwards they went to sit on the sofa.

"I'm sorry, Ginny," Harry began. "I would have got you a proper birthday present…" He broke off when she put a hand over his mouth.

"What more could you have possibly done? This has been a lovely evening. Thank you."

Harry wanted to protest again that he hadn't actually had a great deal to do with it, but she'd pulled him down and begun kissing him. At first it was soft and shallow, but Harry was surprised at how quickly things progressed, until they were both responding with a great deal of passion. He was going to lose himself this time, he realised very quickly. He couldn't ever remember her being so bold. It was very easy to forget everything else when she kissed him like that. Hogwarts, the war, the Death Eaters, Voldemort, all of it ceased to exist. There was nothing but the two of them. That she had the power to make it all melt away awed him.

"Ginny," he said, breaking it off. Somehow she'd managed to lie back on the sofa and had brought him down with her. "I didn't bring you up here for that."

"But I love you, and you love me. Why shouldn't we?"

Harry had a very good reason now why they shouldn't. He knew he'd be leaving her soon; it wouldn't be fair. But he couldn't tell her that; it would lead to him having to tell her about the spell and the sacrifice. And if he told her, then she'd try to stop him as Hermione had. He just wasn't sure he'd have the strength to withstand her protests if she tried to stop him. And she would. He knew it.

"Harry," she whispered, bringing a hand up to touch his face, "I'm ready."

The words coursed through him, and he had to catch his breath. He stared down into her darkened eyes for a moment. Then he steeled himself to do what he must. "I'm not," he lied.

The look of utter disappointment on her face made his heart turn over. "I'm sorry, Ginny."

He saw her swallow and was extremely grateful she did not protest any further. She pushed at his chest and sat up herself. "Can we still stay here a while?" she asked.

Harry felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth in spite of himself. "Sure."

*

In the weeks that followed Harry felt increasingly restless, but circumstances seemed to be conspiring against him, and it only served to increase his frustration. Since the night that Hermione had discovered the spell that would defeat Voldemort his scar had gradually stopped bothering him, and there was no news of any new Death Eater activity. Everything had suddenly gone silent on that front, as if the Dark Lord himself somehow knew that if she showed himself, Harry would come after him.

On top of that, Sirius had seen right through him, seemingly, and had replied that he couldn't give Harry any indication of where Voldemort might be.

It was ironic, really. The last thing he wanted to be doing was preparing to take the NEWTs, but that was all that he could do at the moment. Hermione had drawn up revision timetables and was driving both him and Ron harder than any of their teachers were. He still suspected that she was trying to keep him occupied so he wouldn't think of going after Voldemort, a feeling only exacerbated by the fact that she seemed to be watching him like a hawk for any hint that he might be about to bolt. He'd look up from his revision from time to time and catch her eyeing him. It did nothing to improve his mood.

One evening with a week to go before exams started, he'd had enough. Not only had Hermione seemed increasingly watchful these days, his teachers now appeared to be surveying his every move as well. He didn't know if this were actually the case, or if he was going addled from too much studying, but he'd decided he was going to have it out with Hermione at any rate.

He waited for the common room to clear, which took a while, as everyone else was also preparing to take his final exams, and said good night to Ginny. Hermione and Ron were still working at a table in a corner, and Harry went over to join them. He pretended to study until Ron finally closed his books and stood up.

"You coming to bed, Harry?" he asked, yawning. "It's late."

"Yeah, I'll be along in a bit." He caught Hermione's eye and looked at her meaningfully.

She nodded slightly. "I just want to go over this one more time," she said. "Good night, Ron."

Ron looked a bit disappointed, no doubt because she did not accompany him over to the stairs for a proper good night, but he turned without further comment and headed towards the dormitories. When the room was empty, Hermione dropped all pretence of studying.

"What is it, Harry?"

"I want you to back off," he said bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"Every time I turn around, you're watching me as if you expect me to scarper any second. I'm not going to, okay? Just back off."

Hermione looked rather hurt. "I can't help it. I'm just afraid… Look, I think you should finish school, all right? Promise me you'll sit your NEWTs before you go off to find Voldemort."

Harry gaped at her, wondering if she'd finally put too much pressure on herself and gone round the bend. "Hermione, what blasted difference is it going to make whether I've done my NEWTs or not? It's not as if I'm ever going to need them, is it?"

"Don't say that!" she pleaded.

"Why not? It's only the truth."

"But at least we'll all know what you might have accomplished."

Harry had no idea what point there was in arguing over this, or even why she had her heart so set on him taking his NEWTs at all. "Listen, I told you before I wasn't going to head off with no information to go on. I haven't heard anything, have you?" She shook her head. "Not that I'd expect you to tell me if you had," he added.

"That's not fair, Harry!"

He went on as if she hadn't interrupted. "Exams are starting next week in any case. How likely is it we'll hear anything new by then?"

"You never know," Hermione said mutinously. "It's not as if they announce these things in advance."

"Sirius spent a good part of this year trying to track Voldemort down, and he hasn't managed it even with the entire Order behind him. It's not as if I'm going to wake up tomorrow and hear where he's got to. Once exams are over, there won't be anything holding me here any longer, and you can't expect me to hang around."

"Not even Ginny?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. That was going to be a terrible wrench, but he'd be doing this for her as much as anyone. "Just stop watching me all the time."

"I'm sorry, Harry." She paused and swallowed. "I know you don't like it when I get all girly, but bear with me. I don't love you the same way I love Ron, but that doesn't mean I don't love you at all. Remember what you said at Christmas about me being like your sister? I feel the same way. Harry, you're like my brother, even if I've never had a brother. I can't help but be concerned…"

A sob cut her off. Harry had no idea what to do, but he reached over and patted her hand awkwardly. His insides twisted with guilt as he realised he hadn't exactly been treating her very nicely.

She sobbed again, and Harry could stand it no longer. He stood, went around to where she was sitting, and gave her a hug. "It'll be all right. Voldemort will be gone, you and Ron'll have each other, and… It'll be all right."

"But where are you going to be?"

"I haven't worked that out yet."

*

The conversation with Hermione did little to settle Harry's feelings of frustration. He'd more or less promised her he'd stay and write his exams, even if it was the last thing he wanted to do. In spite of the fact that he sat up late every evening studying, he was having trouble sleeping at night. It wasn't his scar that was bothering him this time--things were still quiet on that front--it was the build-up of energy within him. It was the desire to act when he was prevented from doing so. It didn't help that the other seventh year boys seemed to have no problems with insomnia these days. Having to lie and listen to their snores only increased Harry's frustration.

On the eve of his first NEWT, Harry finally gave up trying to drop off and went down to the darkened common room once more. This time he did not find Hermione sitting up late doing some last minute revision. The common room was empty, but not for long.

Harry had just sat in an armchair near the fireplace when he heard someone else coming down the stairs. It was Ron. He came over and took a seat opposite Harry.

"What's up?" Ron asked.

"Can't sleep."

"I know, I've been listening to you stewing every night for a while now. What's really up?"

Harry looked into the grate, where the last remnants of the evening's fire still glowed, and didn't respond.

"Well, I know that it can't be you're nervous about sitting a NEWT in Divination tomorrow."

Harry still said nothing. If he told Ron the real reason he couldn't sleep… No, he wasn't going to go there.

"You know what I think? You're screwing yourself up to leave."

Harry did look at Ron now, and this time it was in shock. Hermione couldn't have said anything, could she? She'd promised not to!

"Don't look so shocked. I reckon I've been expecting this all year."

"You have?"

"It's been building to this, hasn't it? Ever since the end of fourth year when he came back. Before that, even. Way back in first year, we knew he was still out there. It's only a matter of time now, isn't it?"

"I'm not going yet."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Why not? Perfect excuse to get out of these bloody exams. Sorry, can't take my NEWTs. I've got a dark wizard to defeat."

Harry almost smiled. "I can't. Hermione made me promise to take the stupid things."

Ron shook his head. "Only Hermione…"

"Besides, I might as well write my exams. Why let all the revision I've been doing go to waste? If I'd been really clever, I'd have gone off at Easter, wouldn't I?"

Ron gave a small laugh, but then he went serious. "I've been thinking about this, Harry. You can't just go off and face him. You've got to have a plan."

"What makes you think I haven't got one?"

"Seven years of playing chess with you."

Harry wasn't about to give the game away now and tell Ron he'd got it wrong, so he played along. "I suppose you've come up with one for me then."

"Well, I have been thinking… You can't use your wand against him. You know it won't work. He knows it, too. But if you had a different wand, one that wasn't a brother to his…"

"Won't he expect something like that?"

"Maybe it's so obvious he won't expect it."

"And I won't get the same results with another wand."

"Another reason he'll think you won't go that way."

"I don't suppose it would hurt to have another wand…" He wondered if he'd be able to provoke Voldemort into a duel with him and force their wands to connect. Then he'd have Voldemort occupied, while he drew the second wand and… Yes, that could work.

"I could send for Charlie's. Mum and Dad have it."

"No, Ron, you couldn't ask them to send that."

"I dunno. In a way it's as if Charlie would still be helping the cause. He'd like that. If I sent for it now, we could have it by the time exams were over. Then we could go."

"We?"

"You don't think I'm going to let you go face Voldemort by yourself, do you?"

Harry's mouth dropped open as he stared at Ron.

"There, I've said it, and nothing horrible has happened, has it?"

"I could have told you that. I'm not the one who's avoided saying it for the last seven years. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you come with me."

Ron went on as if he hadn’t heard. "We Weasleys, we're stubborn, just remember that. And we have long memories. And a thirst for revenge. So if you even think of leaving me behind…"

"What'll you do, Weasley?"

"Worst thing I can think of. Set Fred and George on you."

Ron may have been attempting to lighten the mood, but Harry could see he was perfectly serious about not wanting to be left behind. He was going to have to be more direct.

"Ron," he said cautiously, "you know there's a good chance I won't come back."

"There's a chance you'll fall off your broom and break your neck playing Quidditch, but that's never stopped you. Or me for that matter. And you'll come back. Because I'm going to be there covering your back."

A lump was rapidly forming in Harry's throat. What had he ever done to deserve a friend like Ron?

"Besides," Ron went on, "Ginny would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you." Ron may have been trying to break the tension of the moment, but there was truth mixed in with his words.

"Come on, then," Harry relented. "Let's send that owl."

They both rose at the same time, and Harry clapped a hand on Ron's shoulder. He couldn't prevent himself from squeezing hard.

*

The very last day of exams dawned sunny and stiflingly hot. The seventh years were due to take their potions NEWT that day, and while it was somewhat pleasant to sit in the cool air of the dungeon for the written part of the exam, once the cauldrons were boiling for the practical portion, conditions quickly became unbearable.

Harry just wanted to get it over with, as he stirred his cauldron with one hand, while he tried to brush his fringe out of his eyes with the other. It was no use; his hair seemed to have become permanently plastered to his forehead.

It wouldn't be much longer now, and they'd all be free. Harry felt as if the first thing he'd like to do was sleep for at least a day or two. The NEWTs, he'd discovered, more than lived up to their name.

He was glad they'd been set a relatively easy potion to brew. No one had known in advance what the practical portion of this NEWT would entail, which meant that all the seventh years had spent a great deal of time learning a lot of complicated recipes off by heart. Neville had been positively white with fear, as he knew his memory was his main weakness. But when Snape had announced that they were to prepare Fortitude Potion, Neville had breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can do that one," he'd said happily. "I got that one right."

Harry had to wonder if Snape hadn't had an ulterior motive for asking them to make this particular potion. Perhaps they'd be needing to have a lot on hand in the near future.

The seventh-years breathed a collective sigh of relief when Snape told them their time was up. "Everyone take your cauldrons off the fire and leave them as they are. You potion will be marked, and you will be able to collect your belongings at your next potions lesson. As for now… Goodbye!"

There was a general rush towards the door as everyone seemed keen to get outside. Harry thought it might be just as well to head up to his dormitory and have a nice, long nap. After that, he'd think about his next move. During the entire exam period there'd been no word of any sort of Dark activity. No further word had come from Sirius, either. Everything was much too quiet for Harry's taste.

The Entrance Hall was crowded with students, and Harry wondered why they just didn't all go outside. Something seemed to be blocking the way. Harry was tall enough to see over most of the other students, and it looked to him as if Professor McGonagall was standing guard over the front door, much to everyone's consternation.

"All students are to report to their common rooms immediately," she called over a chorus of groans. "Prefects!" she called, looking around and making eye contact with Hermione and Neville, "prefects are to lead everyone back to his respective house common room. Move along now!"

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged a concerned look before Hermione pushed through the crowd and began to herd the Gryffindors towards the marble staircase. Harry spotted a familiar head of flaming red hair, which was making its way forward to help Hermione. Something was happening, and Harry had a sinking feeling it was something big. At least his scar hadn't been bothering him, but he only felt it was just a matter of time before it did.

He caught Ginny up just outside the portrait hole. He pulled her aside as everyone else entered the common room. "What's going on?" he asked her.

"No idea. I'd just finished my History of Magic exam and was going to wait outside for you. But McGonagall wasn't letting anyone out. She was making the students who were already out come back in. I heard someone who had been outside saying something about a strange light in the sky over Hogsmeade."

"Sounds serious, then."

"Yeah."

He looked into her eyes, not knowing what he'd find there, but he didn't see dread or fear, only determination and something else. There was a certain knowledge in her gaze, and he was sure now that she had already foreseen what he was planning to do.

"Ginny, I…"

"Don't say it. Don't say anything until we know for sure."

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly for a long moment, memorising the way she fit against him, the smell of her hair, the sound of her sigh. This was going to have to last him for a long while.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke them apart. Harry turned and saw Professor McGonagall, her face set and determined, coming along the corridor. "Is everyone inside and accounted for?" she asked Ginny.

"I think so, yes. Everyone but us."

"Well, in you go. As I'm sure you've surmised, I've got an important announcement for you all."

They climbed through the portrait hole, followed by their head of house. All eyes turned towards Professor McGonagall, as everyone anticipated unpleasant news.

Professor McGonagall wasted no time in getting to the point. "There has been an attempt by Dark forces to take the village of Hogsmeade. At the moment there seems to be a stand-off in the village, but we do not know how long it will last. We fear that reinforcements may arrive and that Lord Voldemort himself may appear. There may be an assault on the school if Voldemort's forces are successful in taking Hogsmeade."

Harry felt Ginny tense up beside him, and he knew she was thinking of her brothers. He took her hand and squeezed it.

Professor McGonagall held up her hand to quiet the sounds of alarm that were coming from the assembled students. "Do not panic. For the moment the school is safe. What I need all of you to do for now is prepare yourselves. In the event of an attack on the school itself, arrangements have been made to ensure that all students may be sent to a safe location. Those of you who are not yet of age will be evacuated. For those of you who are of age, I leave you the choice to evacuate or stay and fight. Whatever you decide, I need all of you to go up to your dormitories and prepare whatever personal items you will need for the next few days. You will all have to be ready to move on a moment's notice. Do I make myself clear? You have half an hour to prepare yourselves. After that time, you are to come back to the common room with your things and we will all go down to the Great Hall together. Prefects, I'm counting on you to make sure everything is ready in half an hour."

She left then, and there was immediate chaos, as all the students began talking at once and heading for the dormitory stairs. A quite few of them looked downright terrified. Harry felt a bubble of pride well up in him, as he saw Ginny approach one first-year who was practically in tears and put a consoling arm around her as she walked her over to the girls' stairwell.

Harry followed Ron up to their dormitory. While Dean and Seamus were taking a few necessities out of their trunks and stowing them in their school bags, Harry pulled out the Marauder's Map and his invisibility cloak. Then he opened the drawer to his night table and took out the talisman. He put it on and tucked it into his robes. Looking around, he saw that Ron was holding a long, narrow box and watching him intently.

"Tonight," Harry said quietly.

Ron nodded once to show that he'd understood, and tucked the box into his bag. "Tonight," he repeated.