Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place
Summary: The first time the members of the Order see Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
Disclaimer: Mmmmm… nothing you recognize is mine. So unless you recognize Estelle, Celeb, and Laurë (you shouldn't!), they belong to me.
Updated on 9/24/05.
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"Sirius?" Estelle Took put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. They all looked up at the house looming in front them.
Sirius cleared his throat and climbed up the stairs. Pulling out a rusty key, he unlocked the door and pushed. It slowly creaked open. "Kreacher?" He asked, stepping in the door. "Where is that blasted elf!" He regretted his words when a loud bloodcurdling screech filled the hall. "Oh, no…"
"What?" Remus asked, peering over his shoulder.
"Mother's portrait. Don't you two remember it? The foul thing hanging on the wall, screaming almost as much as Mother herself?" The man sighed.
"Ah, yes. Kreacher must have woken up old hag," Estelle said calmly, walking into the living room where the portrait stood. "Shut up!" She growled, grabbing one of the curtains. Remus hurried to help. Together they pulled the curtain over Sirius's mum.
"Never thought I'd ever return here willingly," Sirius said, looking around.
"What has Kreacher been doing the past ten or so years?" Nymphadora Tonks exclaimed as the rest of them came in and noticed all the dust and cobwebs.
"Well, one thing's for sure. He doesn't know the meaning of 'cleaning,'" Celeb remarked, his grey eyes lingering on the dusty mirror hanging in the hallway.
"It's filthy!" His twin, Laurë, noted. For the most part, Laurë was a slob; when she declared something was filthy, most took her at her word.
"ALMOST unlivable," Mundungus Fletcher uttered softly. Sirius gazed at him. For Mundungus to say something was almost unlivable… well, the state of his clothing said everything.
Dumbledore looked around. Thanks to all the spells Sirius' father put upon this house, it was unplottable and had every security measure known by wizards put on it. It would make the ideal place for the headquarters. However, he decided to allow the rest of the Order members to give their opinions first.
"There may be some acromantula are lurking somewhere," Mad-Eye Moody growled, his magical eye spinning furiously, still whirling from its cleaning.
"Mad-Eye. People would have noticed if there were giant, eight eyed and legged wizard killing spiders in London!" Tonks groaned. "Overly paranoid Auror." She muttered under her breath.
"Or maybe a quintaped."
"Mad-Eye. I don't know where you get these ideas from, but the quintaped resides on the Isle of Drear on the northern tip of Scotland! Besides, people are not stupid… least, most aren't. They're bound to notice if a human eating monster shows up here." Estelle cried exasperatedly.
"Honestly!" Laurë threw up her hands. "Mum, if you ever start acting like that..." She said, looking at Estelle.
"You know perfectly well that I'm not like that or I would have told you that an acromantula resided above our flat." She smirked, her sea green eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Besides, all Aurors aren't so paranoid." Tonks put in, examining her spiked, light blue hair in the mirror that hung on the wall.
"Well, what do you think?" Sirius inquired, looking at the group. He was nervous; Dumbledore's approval meant more to him then he would have admitted. Dark eyes scanned the faces of the Order, questioning. They stopped on Remus, whose amber eyes met his. The werewolf nodded. Sirius, feeling slightly more cheerful, gave him a smile.
"Looks good to me." Tonks replied, concentrating and changing her hair color to bright green. "Mad-Eye?"
"It looks safe enough." The older Auror grunted.
"This is lovely." Celeb and Laurë inserted together. The twins glanced at each other and cracked up.
"This will work." Dumbledore stated, giving the youngsters a glare that hushed them instantly.
"Oh, yes, nice and habitable." Laurë snickered.
"Laurë…" Estelle threatened, gently cuffing her daughter.
A smile lit up Sirius' once handsome face. "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix will be at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place." He exclaimed brightly.