Well, this was definitely not what Ginny Weasley had expected of her summer. She brushed through her damp hair, squinting slightly at her reflection in the grime- covered mirror, hindered further by the flickering stub of candle she had positioned next to it. She sighed and put down the brush, turning to survey the dingy attic room she was supposed to call a bedroom. The dark wallpaper was peeling off the walls and mould was creeping across the ceiling from the damp corners. Two beds had been crammed into the room, along with two Hogwarts trunks, a cat's basket and a stack of books that Hermione had called "holiday reading". Ginny looked out of the small window into the darkening street below and thought wistfully of The Burrow; of long sweeping meadows, light open space and not a single foul- tempered House Elf in sight.
She was brought back to Grimmauld Place with a bang as the bedroom door slammed open and Ron sulked into the room.
"Where's Hermione?" he practically grunted at her.
"Downstairs, I believe," Ginny replied. "Crookshanks was chasing mice in the drawing room, I think she was going to make sure he didn't leave anymore dead gifts in her bed."
Ron snorted.
"Any word on Harry yet?" Ginny asked.
"Not yet, Dumbledore says we still can't send anything. He's convinced all post going to Harry will be intercepted."
"I bet he's going crazy" Ginny commented, thinking of Harry's desire to be kept in the loop about everything, especially when it involves You-Know-Who.
"Well, you know Harry," Ron sighed and shrugged, "I expect we will get an earful when he does eventually arrive."
Their conversation was interrupted quite suddenly by extremely loud voices echoing upstairs, followed by door slamming and the screeching of Mrs Black's portrait.
"What the -?" Ron began.
"Come on!" Ginny interrupted, hurrying from the room, her brother following in her wake.
They met Fred and George on the next landing, both peering curiously out of their bedroom door. Silently, the twins crept along behind Ginny and Ron to where Hermione was already peering over the bannister. The raised voices were in the kitchen but they heard the front door open and close quietly and watched Albus Dumbledore gliding towards the commotion. He looked us as he passed below them all.
"Everything will become clear shortly," he said, looking at each of them in turn before reaching the kitchen door. He extended his arm towards the door to open it but there was no need, as it was pulled open from the other side and Sirius came striding out, looking livid.
"Is this true, Dumbledore?" he demanded, breathing heavily, "dementors in Little Whinging?"
Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth in horror.
"It is Sirius, but I can assure you, no harm has come to Harry."
"How can you be certain?!" Sirius cried, pulling a heavy travelling cloak around himself.
"I have had word from Arabella Figg, one of our lookouts, who found Harry and his cousin after the attack. The boys are, understandably, shaken but are home and safe."
"Safe!" Sirius scoffed, "Being expelled by the Ministry for using magic to save your life doesn't sound very safe to me!"
"Harry will not be expelled from school, I will make sure of it," Dumbledore spoke calmly. "However, I do not know how those dementors found Harry or who sent them. Therefore, I think it unwise to leave Harry alone in the muggle world for much longer. Molly, I assume there is a bed ready for him here?"
"Yes Albus, it has been ready for weeks," their mother spoke.
"Excellent, then I believe we must discuss travel arrangements. Come along, Sirius."
Dumbledore indicated the kitchen and the group retreated, Sirius pulling off the travelling cloak, but still breathing heavily. Dumbledore looked up once again.
"No letters," he reminded the group hanging over the bannister, before closing the kitchen door behind him.
"Come on!" Hermione hissed, and they followed her into Ron's room, as it was the closest.
"Dementors!" Ginny cried as the bedroom door closed, "How?!"
"Well, I doubt it was an accident," Fred spoke, looking grim.
"Expelled!" Ron gulped.
"You heard Dumbledore, Ron, there is no way he will let that happen!" Hermione assured.
"What if he doesn't get a choice? You've seen the papers, they think he's a senile old lunatic!"
"It's Dumbledore, Ron, he will find a way," George said.
"Poor Harry," Ginny sighed.
The sound of the front door opening and closing again distracted them momentarily, wondering who could be next to arrive into the heated discussion downstairs. Moments later, Mrs Black was screeching again.
"ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!" The Weasley's heard their mother roaring, even louder than the portrait.
"Excellent!" Fred grinned, "Fancy a peek?"
They all hurried back out onto the landing and peered back over the bannister. Stout, little Mundungus Fletcher was backing slowly towards the front door, with half of the Order of the Phoenix closing in on him.
"I swear, if I thought something was wrong, I wouldn't have gone!" he pleaded, "Nothing had happened so far and those cauldrons were a bargain!"
"YOU PUT STOLEN CAULDRONS BEFORE MY GODSON, AND NOW HE HAS A HEARING AT THE MINISTRY!" Sirius bellowed, "I OUGHT TO WRING YOUR NECK!"
"Dumbledore!" Mundungus pleaded, craning to look to the back of the angry mob, "Please make them stop!"
"Quite frankly Mundungus, I have half a mind to let him do it!" Dumbledore snapped.
Hermione flinched. None of them had ever seen Albus Dumbledore lose his temper.
"You put Harry Potter in immediate danger tonight. You were lucky Arabella was there to clean up after your idiocy. I strongly advise that you vacate these premises until Harry's family and friends have calmed down. I would also recommend that you mind your head!"
Mundungus looked up just in time as Fred and George launched a dungbomb apiece over the railings at him, as Ron cheered, glaring down menacingly at the crook in the hallway.
Mundungus was out of the door in a shot.
"Clean that up boys!" Snapped Mrs Weasley, face flushed with anger, though her eyes betrayed her and the mischievous sparkle that was ever present in the twins' eyes flashed up at them.
The adults returned to the kitchen, Lupin flicking his wand at Mrs Black, silencing her. Fred and George pointed their wands at the dung splattered hall.
"Well, it was only a matter of time before Mundungus upset everyone," Ron said, "Mum's never liked him much."
"I can see why!" Hermione agreed.
Ginny was too appalled to comment.