They sit in the kitchen. They are supposed to be having a meeting. They are supposed to be talking about Voldemort. Where he is, what he's doing, and how they can stop him. But they aren't. They can't. They have had too much of this. Most everybody has left the kitchen by now, though, leaving Bill, Charlie, Sirius and Mad-Eye as the only occupants of it. The two Weasleys and Sirius are engrossed in a game of Exploding Snap. Mad-Eye stands at the door, staring at them disapprovingly, unsure exactly what to do. An important meeting of the Order has been canceled…for this? He watches them play and smile and even laugh. He doesn't see how they can laugh like that, how they can be completely enjoying themselves.
"Come on," shouts Sirius. "Join us, Alastor."
Mad-Eye clears his throat. "No, thank you," he says and leaves, wishing more and more with every step he takes down the hallway that he would've accepted Sirius's offer.
But he couldn't. Voldemort has taken even that away from him.