Chapter 9: There's a storm coming.

It wasn't until nearly dinner time when Harry returned to 12 Grimmauld Place.

Everyone gathered around the table to hear the details of his trial. Naturally he had been cleared of all charges brought against him.

"But, what is this rubbish?" Harry inquired as he threw a rolled up copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table.

The paper unfurled and in large letters read, "HARRY POTTER, THE BOY WHO LIES"

"Oh dear." Molly mumbled and scooped up the paper.
"Molly, just tell him." Said Sirius, sternly.

Molly grimaced and cleared her throat before she spoke. "Well Harry you see people just aren't ready to accept that He…well that you-know-who has returned."

"But clearly he HAS." Harry argued.

"Harry the Minister doesn't want everyone getting all stirred up. It's far easier for him to use his pull at the prophet to discredit you and even Dumbledore than for him to calm his people if, well" Arthur fidgeted nervously.

"If they knew what was really coming." Sirius finished.

"So it's easier to lie than to prepare them?" Harry looked around the table, hoping for a logical answer.

"Yes." Alexis replied, to Harry's astonishment.

"From his view point, it is. He probably doesn't want to accept it himself. He's scared witless." She concluded.

"All of these events Harry, he knows this is how it all began before. There's a storm coming. Voldemort is gaining more followers by the minute, and not even just dark wizards." Sirius began but was interrupted by Ron.

"Do you mean…"
"Yes!" Sirius added. "Last time he had all sorts of creatures under his command. Now, it would seem…" he shot a meaningful look toward Harry. "That he even has the dementors from Azkaban doing his bidding."

Around the table everyone fell silent. Except for Sirius whom continued, never breaking his eye contact with Harry.

"This time he's after something…something he didn't have before. Something that might have the ability to change everything."
"THAT'S ENOUGH." Molly shouted. "Bloody hell Sirius if you keep talking you might as well induct him into the order right now!"

"Good!" Harry replied. "If Voldemort is raising an army than I want to fight."

"NO." Samantha interjected.

Harry looked at her, alarmed.

"Harry we came back here to keep you safe at all costs. If there's going to be a war…we…Let's just eat." She mumbled.

"Good idea." Molly affirmed.

Everyone ate their dinner quietly, generally avoiding even eye contact with each other until suddenly there was a loud thump and a pitcher of pumpkin juice flooded half the table.

"Sorry!" George choked out, quickly trying to magic the mess away.

Molly just slapped her hand to her forehead and shook her head.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it this time!" Ginny turned, grinning at George widely and doing her best impersonation of her mother "None of your brothers were ever this much trouble when they came of age. Do you think Charlie ever levitated his toast to his mouth? Did Bill have to apparate every three feet? You're a right pain, you are!" she went on, waving an incriminating finger in her brother's face.

Everyone including Molly cracked a smile.
"Ha!" Fred clapped his younger sister on the back and laughed cheerfully. "Spot on! Well done."

Ginny shrugged, and looked across the table to see Harry smiling at her. They locked eyes for a moment before she nervously returned her attention to her meal.

Noticing the brief occurrence Alexis leaned over and whispered into Samantha's ear.

"Do you think Harry's seeing that one?"

Samantha surveyed them for a moment. "Possibly. Remind me to mock him for it when we get to know him better."

"You mean like I'll be continuously mocking you for making goo-goo eyes at the dashing boys sitting across from us?" Alexis replied innocently.

Samantha glared at her and then quickly looked across the table to see Fred and George grinning at her with their debonair smiles.

She felt her cheeks go red as once again Alexis whispered into her ear.

"Wipe that stupid smirk off of your face, you look like you just escaped the looney bin."

Samantha quickly looked away and elbowed Alexis in the rib.

"There's more important matters at hand than, you're just" Samantha stuttered before she finally just spat out "I hate you."