"Eh-hem." The blissful peace was broken a few moments later by as soft low cough coming from the doorway. I shyly glanced up, relieved that it was George staring back at me rather than Mrs. Weasley or Remus. "Sorry to interrupt," George declared with a wink, "But mum says dinner's ready…course I could always tell her that you pair would rather stay up her snogging the night away." George teased.
"We can take a break for a bit." Fred jested. "Sides Alice really ought to eat something." He added reminding me slightly of his mother. George noticed the peculiar comment but chose not to say anything as we were nearing the entrance hall.
"Alice!" A pleasant exclamation came from across the room before I was enveloped in bush brown hair.
"Hermione." I smirked as I hugged my friend back. "When did you arrive?" I questioned her before taking a seat at the table.
"Just a few minutes ago with Mr. Weasley. He stopped by my parent's house on his way home from work. You see I was supposed to join the Weasley's at the Burrow but well they're here obviously…"
"I see you haven't changed a bit." Ron mumbled into his plate. A proud smile spread across Ginny Weasley's face as she kicked her brother under the table. The other occupants of the house began to find seats around the table as Mrs. Weasley placed platter after platter of food on the table.
"Has anyone explained to you why we're all here?" I asked Hermione.
"Well no. Not really. I assume it has something to do with He-Who…Voldemort. But I can't really begin to guess…"
"Have you ever heard of The Order of the Phoenix?" Sirius inquired as he took the seat at the head of the table. Hermione thought for a moment and then shook her head. Ron and Ginny exchanged a look across the table, probably marveled by the fact that there was something Hermione didn't know. "The Order of the Phoenix," Sirius began again. "Is a secret society designed to oppose Voldemort and his Death Eaters. It was disbanded years ago when a certain famous pair of twins defeated Voldemort." Sirius looked down the table at me and winked before taking in a deep breath. "Due to recent events, Dumbledore has decided to reconnect our ragtag band of good do-ers. And this, will be its headquarters."
"How do we join the Order?" Ron interjected immediately.
"You don't." Mrs. Weasley said definitively. "There are no children allowed. Every member of the Order is over age."
"Sign me up then!" George pronounced.
"Me two." Fred agreed with his twin.
"Boys the Order of the Phoenix is not a game. You two should go back to school this year. Once you've graduated perhaps then you could be considered for membership." Remus told them.
"But we could go to school and still be part of the Order!" Fred retorted.
"Absolutely not."
"Be serious boys."
"You have to finish school first." Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley and Remus all replied at once. George and Fred whipped their head around looking for an adult who might support their cause. They quickly found Sirius and locked their sights on him. But Sirius shook his head before they even had a chance to beg for mercy from him.
"I'm sorry boys but I side with Remus and your parents on this one. No one who's still in school should join the Order." Fred and George unwillingly accepted defeat and began moving food around on their plates. Trying to change the subject to something less controversial I attempted to strike up a conversation.
"Will Percy be joining us after dinner?" At the mention of her older brother Ginny's eye's grew wide, Ron suddenly became fascinated by his shoe laces, and I heard George whisper to Fred something along the lines of "All that snogging and you never got around to telling her about Percy?" Almost immediately Mrs. Weasley burst into a violent fit of fat round tears. The crystal goblet that Mr. Weasley had been holding shattered to the ground and he glared at the wall angrily. George and Ginny rushed to their mother's side sitting her down, trying to calm her. Fred retrieved a broom and dustpan and quickly swept up the mess his father had made, while Ron tried to get Mr. Weasley to speak. This left Remus, Sirius, Hermione and I to glance around the room awkwardly, none of us exactly sure had happened.
"Molly? Arthur?" Remus spoke to them softly when Mrs. Weasley's tears were slowed and Mr. Weasley's face had softened. Mr. Weasley left his seat at the table and Ginnny and George stepped aside so that he could comfort his wife.
"W-what did I say?" I asked the Weasley children, shocked by the chain reaction I had just caused.
"It wasn't really what you said." Ron answered.
"The first week back, Percy and Dad had a row. I've never seen Dad row with anyone life that. It's normally Mum who shouts." Ginny added.
"Why? What happened?" Hermione questioned.
"Percy came home and told us he'd been promoted." Ron explained. "We were surprised because Percy got into a load of trouble about Crouch, there was an inquiry and everything. They said Percy ought to have realized Crouch was off his rocker and informed a superior. But Crouch left Percy in charge so he wasn't going to complain."
"Why was Percy Promoted then?" Sirius pondered.
"That's exactly what we wondered." Fred replied. "He came home really pleased with himself, even more than usual if you can imagine that, and told Dad that he'd been offered a position in Fudges own office. A really good one for someone only one year out of Hogwarts, Junior Assistant to the Minister. He expected Dad to be all impressed, I think."
"Only he wasn't." George said grimly.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Dad says Fudge has made it clear that anyone who's in league with Dumbledore can clear out their desk." Ginny answered. "Trouble is Fudge suspects Dad, he knows he's friendly with Dumbledore and he's always thought Dad was a bit of a weirdo because of his Muggle obsession."
"But what's that got to do with Percy?" I questioned again.
"I suppose Arthur believes Percy was only put in the Minister's office to spy on the family, on Dumbledore." Remus suggested.
"Bet Percy loved that." Hermione snorted.
"He went completely berserk." George confirmed. "He said, well he said loads of terrible stuff. He said he's been having to struggle against Dad's lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry and that Dad's got no ambition and that's why we've always been-you know-not had a lot of money."
"What?" Sirius exclaimed in disbelief.
"It gets worse." Ron promised. "He said Dad was an idiot to run around with Dumbledore, that Dumbledore was heading for big trouble and Dad was going to go down with him and that he-Percy-knew where his loyalties lay and it was with the Ministry. And if Mum and Dad were going to become traitors to the Ministry he was going to make sure he didn't belong to our family anymore. He packed his bags the same night and left. He's living here in London now."
Mum came up to London to try and talk to Percy, but he slammed the door in her face. I dunno what he does if he meets Dad at work, ignores him I suppose." Ginny concluded.
"Alright you lot that's enough!" Mr. Weasley called from across the room. "It's almost nearing bed time, let's finish dinner so we can have a fresh start in the morning." We could all sense the false happiness in his cheery tone but none of us wanted to rock the boat any further. We all assumed our seats at the table and ate the rest of our dinner in silence.
