All was still at number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Candles sat cooling in their wall ornaments whilst spiders scuttled across creaky, wooden floors and antique furniture, leaving only the faintest of prints in the ever present dust. Thick clouds forbid the moon to bring even a touch of light to the old house, the occasional 'tink' from a sporadic droplet of rain on the dank windows seemed to carry a monstrous echo through the narrow hallways and the large rooms .
An ancient house-elf shuffled up the stairs, through the darkness, to pillage any number of the empty bedrooms for family treasures. Its creaking bones and labored breath caught the attention of someone... something. Wild, round eyes darted across the landing. So sure was the elf that he had seen something move, if just a flicker of a robe or the sliding of a shoe, yet... nothing stood at the top of the stairs save himself. Muttering foul words under his breath, the wrinkled elf continued past the suspicious landing, glaring at the cobweb-covered banisters before eventually slipping into an unoccupied room.
A muffled snort broke the heavy silence that followed the house-elf's departure.
"Good job, Granger."
"Oh, shut it."
A very dishevelled Hermione Granger appeared from seemingly nowhere, glaring in the direction of the voices beside her.
"I might've gotten behind the Cloak faster if George hadn't been in my way." She hissed, rummaging through her robe pocket. The aforementioned Weasley, along with his twin, popped into view in the same manner has Hermione. A large grin was plastered on his face as Ginny and Ron slid out from behind the invisibility cloak, followed closely by a thoroughly amused Harry Potter and a plain faced, auburn haired girl.
"Oy, you callin' me fat?" The red-headed boy teased. The young woman with messy, auburn hair slipped next to the tall boy, reaching a hand up to pop him upside the head. "Ow-"
"Shhh." She whispered, holding a finger to her lips. "You want the whole Order to hear you?"
"Course not." George grinned. "Just mum-"
"-and dad-" Fred continued.
"-and Kingsley-"
"-or Mad-Eye-"
"-maybe the Giant Squid-"
With arms folded across her chest, the girl sent an eyebrow towards her hairline, a look seeming to indicate that the Weasley twins would do best to discontinue such nonsense. Though, this 'serious' look was somewhat dampened by the girl's twitching lips, as she restrained a smile. Harry and Ron found it increasingly difficult to control the volume of their giggles, tears of mirth rolled down their cheeks, while the edges of Hermione's lips began to tweak upwards as she handed out Extendable Ears.
"Persephone, I do wish you'd exert a bit more control over them." Hermione said, as she kneeled next to a banister with the Ear that she and Ginny would share.
"What control?" Ginny chuckled. "She may be snoggin' one of 'em but when have you seen either of them actually listen to anybody?"
Fred tried his very best to look insulted as he jammed an Extendable Ear into his left ear. While George simply sat, legs crossed, next to Persephone, who was holding the flesh-colored, spying device at ear level for them to share. Four of the Weasley products hung lazily over a large, tarnished door downstairs. A dim light peaking from beneath the kitchen door gave the only evidence of any occupancy. Several powerful charms had made it nearly impossible to hear anything coming from the kitchen where most of the Order sat now, no doubt buzzing with news. News that the seven teenagers upstairs where becoming increasingly desperate to hear.
"You know," Ron whispered, as he tried to untangle an Extendable Ear. "It's a bit bullocks that you three can't be in there. I mean, you're graduated... and aren't you actually in the Order?"
Persephone furrowed her brow, but kept her eyes on the kitchen door below.
"We are, but…"
"As of late, we've been encouraged to skip the weekly Order meetings." Fred continued.
"More like banned entirely." Persephone grumbled. George wrapped an arm around the sulking girl, pulling her closer."My own brother wont even give me a damn scrap of news."
"Echo's been comin' to the meetings?" Ron looked up from the now intricately tangled web of his Extendable Ear. "I thought he hadn't been 'round here in months!"
"Nah, he's been slippin' in and out of that kitchen this whole time." George whispered. "Comes straight to the meetings then takes off right after."
"Tried talkin' to him," Fred said. "But he wouldn't even look at us! Walked right past 'Seph."
"Damn..." Ron murmured. "Wonder what it is they're so keen to keep from you."
"I think we are about to find out" Heads turned to Hermione and Ginny, both of whom sat staring over the stair banister, seemingly frozen in shock.
Five more head poked themselves over the railing only to be met with the twinkling blue gaze of Albus Dumbledore.
"Persephone." The aged headmaster called calmly. "Do be a dear and join us in the kitchen."