Okay, I had this chapter almost finished when OotP came out. Of course, I took time to read the book, and adjust this chapter to reflect what happened in the book. It originally took place in the Burrow. My story is now officially an AU, as it takes place during Harry's 5th year. However, you will see Rowling's new characters and ideas incorporated. If you haven't yet read the newest installment by Rowling, well, consider yourself forewarned.
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"This," Ron Weasley whined, gripping hold of the tattered curtains in one of the many bedrooms at number 12 Grimmauld Place, "has got to be the most disgusting thing I've ever seen." He continued pulling on the curtains, trying to pull them from the windows. "I mean, what has that house-elf been doing for the last- Augh!"
Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny all turned at his scream to see Ron scrambling away from the curtains, now laying on the floor and crawling with large spiders. His face was pale as he tried to move further away from the eight-legged insects crawling toward him.
"Aww, ickle Ronniekins doesn't like spiders," Fred cooed as George flicked his wand toward them, freezing them where they stood. Ginny giggled as Fred picked one up and held it in front of Ron's face. Ron's skin had turned a pasty green color as his brother held the insect even closer.
"Oh, leave him alone, Fred," said Hermione testily.
"I will not," he answered indignantly. "It's not my fault he doesn't like spiders."
"Actually, yes it is," George answered him.
"Oh yeah." A smile spread across his face. "Come on, Ron. Give Teddy a hug." He thrust it into Ron's face, who screamed, knocking the spider out of Fred's hand and shoving him back against the wardrobe with a loud crack.
The room froze at the sound of creaking steps. Someone was coming up to where they were. Fred and Ron's eyes fell suddenly to the wardrobe's door, which was now hanging crooked.
"Someone fix it," Hermione hissed.
"Maybe it's just Sirius," Ginny answered.
"Well, I'm sure Sirius would not be happy about these two destroying his-."
"No," George answered. "That is most definitely not Sirius." He was backing away from the door. "I know those footsteps."
"Mum!" Fred and Ron both said the word at once, and scrambled to look as innocent as possible when the door flew open.
"WHAT ARE YOU BOYS DOING UP HERE? I LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR FIVE MINUTES-."
"What makes you think it was us?" George asked innocently. "It could have been Ginny and Hermione."
"Yeah," Fred piped in. "Ginny called Hermione a frizzy-haired-."
"FRED, NOT ANOTHER WORD! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH! WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE A MEETING DOWNSTAIRS, BUT YOU BOYS-"
"And girls," George added helpfully.
"-ARE ACTING LIKE FIVE YEAR OLDS! NOT ANOTHER PEEP!" Mrs. Weasley then turned to Ron and Hermione. "Ron, Hermone, please come downstairs."
"What?" Ginny cried. "Mum, why can't-?"
"No, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said firmly. "Only Ron and Hermione were requested. You stay here with these two."
"But-!" the three remaining Weasleys groaned.
"Stay!" Mrs. Weasley's voice rose again. "You three stay here, and if I hear anymore bangs, I will take your wands for the remainder of the summer."
"You can't!" Fred cried.
"Watch me!" She stormed out the door, followed by Hermione and Ron, who cast a last glance at his siblings to see the jealousy on their faces. Mrs. Weasley did not say another word to them as they followed her quietly down the stairs. She turned and put her fingers to her lips as they slipped through the hallway and finally to the kitchen where a small crowd of Order members were gathered. Ron looked around and saw Dumbledore sitting at the head of the table, with Ron's dad and brother, Bill, sitting to his left and Lupin to his right with heart-faced Tonks on his other side sporting shockingly bright red spikes for hair. The rest of the table was filled by Mad-Eye Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt and several other people whom Ron only knew vaguely. Professor Snape was leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his chest, while Sirius was across the room leaning against the dresser, his knuckles white from gripping the edge.
"Ah, Ron, Hermione. Thank you for coming so quickly. Please, sit down." Lupin and Tonks stood to give their seats to them. Tonks hopped onto the dresser next to Sirius, but Lupin took out his wand and conjured two chairs for himself and Mrs. Weasley.
"Are we- did we do something wrong?" Ron asked, looking at the serious faces around the room.
"No," Dumbledore reassured them. "We simply need to ask you a few questions."
"Questions?" Hermione asked.
"About Harry."
"Is something wrong with Harry?" she asked quickly, looking around at their faces for an answer.
"Harry is missing," Dumbledore said simply.
"Missing?" Ron looked around, wondering if this was a bad joke. "How can he be missing? I thought you were watching him, the Order, I mean."
"Those who were watching Harry," Lupin told them, "had very strict orders. They were to watch the street and the neighborhood, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious. They themselves were not to be seen, nor were they to enter the house." He glanced at Dumbledore, as if asking permission to continue. "He was never seen leaving the house, so it was assumed he was inside the whole time. It fit with what was known about the Dursleys and how they acted toward Harry. However-." He glimpsed toward Dumbledore, who continued.
"One of the watchers became suspicious that Harry was not inside. Professor Snape and myself investigated and found this was true. Now," he said, pressing his fingertips together and peering at them, "I need to know whether either of you has heard from Harry at all this summer."
They shook their heads.
"Nothing? Not a word?"
"Is there somewhere he would go if he was in trouble?" Sirius asked. "If he had to run from something?"
"The Burrow," Ron answered. "But we would know if he did, right?"
"Yes," Ron's dad answered. He looked around the room. "What we need to know is how he got out of the house without anyone seeing him."
"Who was on watch?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Dung," Sirius answered. "But he swears he was there the whole time." Mrs. Weasley snorted.
"The boy has an Invisibility Cloak," Snape ventured.
"That thought occurred to me," Lupin answered. "I checked. His cloak is in his trunk, as is his wand."
The room was silent for a moment before Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up:
"From what Snape and Dumbledore told us, I suppose we can't ignore the possibility that Harry didn't leave-."
"Perhaps," Snape interrupted, "if we have gleaned all information from them, it would be prudent to send Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley back upstairs before continuing with suppositions and possibilities."
"I quite agree," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed jumping from her seat, while everyone else seemed to have forgotten their presence. "Ron, Hermione, let's go."
"But-."
"No 'buts,' Ron. Move."
Ron grumbled all the way up the stairs, followed closely by Hermione and his mother, who seemed determined that they not simply turn at the door and continue to listen to the discussion. As soon as he had rejoined his siblings and Mrs. Weasley had left, Ron turned quickly to his brothers.
"Those Extendable Ears you guys were working on- do they work?"
"Yeah. Why?" George answered, looking at his little brother curiously. Ron and Hermione launched into a description of what had happened and been discussed.
"You're serious? Harry's missing?" Fred said, half expecting it to be a joke.
"How long?" Ginny asked.
"They didn't say," Ron answered.
"But from the way they're talking downstairs," Hermione added, "a while- possibly since holiday began."
The twins looked at each other briefly, then disappeared from the room with a POP. They returned moments later carrying a very long flesh colored string. The four Weasleys and one Granger stole quietly onto the landing of the stairs and made their way down until they were within sight of the kitchen. Ginny, the smallest, snuck down the rest of the way, tucking the string just under the door, then made her way up to listen with the others. The first voice they heard was Professor Lupin.
"Sirius, nobody is arguing with you that we need to find Harry. We know that. But you can't argue that we need some sort of plan. We simply can't-"
"Planning takes too long!" A crash.
"-run in opposite directions yelling his name." Lupin's voice remained level, as if used to arguing over Sirius' emotional outbursts. "It would be chaos, and Harry wouldn't be found. There are simply too many places for him to hide."
"Fine, Remus," Sirius replied after a short silence. "So where do we start?"
There was a low murmur, as if everyone had ideas, but didn't want to venture them aloud to the group, merely to their neighbor. Suddenly, one voice was heard over all others, though not necessarily loud.
"Dursley." Snape said only the one word. Chairs could be heard scraping, as if the room had turned to face him. After several more moments of silence, he spoke again. "He's hiding something. That was more than obvious when we visited the house. Mr. Dursley became angry and Mrs. Dursley fearful when we began questioning them about Harry's disappearance."
"Are you sure that wasn't your charming personality-?"
"No, Sirius," Dumbledore answered. "I saw it too. I have already decided that the Dursley family will require further questioning. I believe they will be our first step."
"I'll go," Sirius spoke up quickly, but was over-ridden.
"Kinsley and Remus will go. I'm sure they will be able to remain the most calm whatever they hear." A pregnant pause. "I trust the family will remain safe and unharmed during your questioning."
"Of course," Lupin and Shacklebolt answered quickly.
"I'll go too," Sirius volunteered.
"You will not."
"Dumbledore-."
"No, Sirius," Dumbledore replied firmly. "You will not leave this house." The silence that followed was uncomfortable, as if everyone's eyes were on either Sirius or Dumbledore. More calmly, the head of the Order spoke again. "Do not forget, just because you are innocent, does not mean that the whole world will realize it as we do. You will be of no use to Harry if you are captured, Sirius. And you will not go back to Azkaban. Your punishment will not be one of confinement."
"I'm sorry."
"Do not apologize for caring about your godson, but remember that you are not the only one who does. We will find him, but when we do, I do not want to have to tell him he no longer has a godfather. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Now, I believe you have an appointment, Severus?" No verbal answer came. "Go then. I must-." The sound of footsteps. Snape was leaving. Fred pulled hard on the Extendable Ear, pulling it from the door just as it slid open and emitted their Potions master into the hallway. The students watched him pass under them, then, as he disappeared from sight, launched themselves back to the room they were supposed to be cleaning.