Chapter 37

Normal

After dinner that night, everyone who didn't live at Grimmauld Place wanted to leave quickly after Mrs. Weasley's outburst. Izzie didn't know why but after hearing what Mrs. Weasley said affected her. And she could tell it affected Mrs. Weasley.

When everyone slowly filed out of the kitchen, Izzie stayed behind with Mrs. Weasley, "I appreciate you caring so much Mrs. Weasley, but I need to fight against Voldemort. He's destroyed so much in our lives. I want to fight for my future too. I'm sorry, but its how I feel."

Mrs. Weasley turned around from the sink, "I know you do, dear. I'm sorry for my outburst. You didn't have a mother growing up, and it breaks my heart that you didn't. I'm a mother. I want to keep my children safe. That also includes you, Harry and Hermione. I hope, one day, you have children of your own. With my own, I want to be a grandmother. That's what I'm fighting for."

Izzie walked forward to give her a hug, "I don't think you have anything to worry about…You have seven children and if each of them has seven children themselves. You're covered."

Mrs. Weasley laughed, "And I would love every single one. Run along with everyone else."

Izzie left the kitchen and as she walked past the parlor room, she found Harry talking with Lupin and Sirius. Harry was talking about the dementor attack. She stood in the doorway listening. Harry was facing her direction with Lupin and Sirius facing Harry. He stopped talking and looked up at her. They held eye contact for a few seconds before they realized that the two of them gained an audience. An audience that had smug looks on their faces.

"Is there something we can help you with Izzie?" Lupin asked.

She broke eye contact, "What? No…I was just walking by…" she said.

"And couldn't help but over hear our conversation with Harry," Sirius said.

"Whatever, you would have done the same thing. If not already recently," Izzie said.

Sirius just smirked, "Come Remus, let's leave before my daughter accuses me of something else," he stood up.

"Even if she might be right," Lupin said.

"Aren't you supposed to be my friend?" Sirius asked, causing the kids to laugh.

Izzie walked past the older men as they were leaving, Sirius stopped to give his daughter a kiss on the forehead and Lupin gripped her shoulder. She sat down next to Harry on the couch he was on, leaving some space between them.

"Those two must be fun," Harry said.

Izzie looked confused, "Why?"

"Most people would be lucky enough to have one father in their life and you have two," he said.

She smiled, "Well, you can have one. They are quite the duo to tell me what I can and can't do."

"I'm jealous," he said.

She reached out to comfort him, "Don't be Harry. You have Sirius just like I had Lupin growing up. We can be one big dysfunctional family."

He laughed, "I'll like that," changing the subject, "Was Dumbledore here earlier?"

"He was," she said.

"He didn't stay to see me," he stated.

"He's been very busy lately. I imagine you'll see him at your hearing," she said.

"I guess you're right," he said, "I've been wanting to see him since school ended. I have a feeling everything is going to be different this year."

"That is part of the reason for everyone staying here at Grimmauld. It's safer to keep everyone under the same roof. I had no idea we were staying here until Lupin took me here. We aren't allowed to leave here, unless we have an adult with us. And Fred and George don't count. I've already tried. Only an official order member," she said.

"We are under lockdown," he said.

"Way under lockdown, and it sucks," she said.

There was a 'pop', "What about sucking?" Fred asked from his spot in between Harry and Izzie.

"Cause we should be involved," George said from the other said of Izzie.

Izzie rolled her eyes, "Twins go away!"

"Why would we?" Fred asked.

"We just got here," George said.

"You two are so annoying," she complained.

"Awwww!" George said.

"But you still love us!" Fred said before the two of them leaned in to kiss Izzie on the cheek.

"Boys!" Hermione shouted as she walked into the room.

"Gross!" Ron complained as he followed.

"Leave her alone. You've been messing with her the moment you've arrived. She hasn't gotten a moments rest," Hermione said.

Fred and George disappeared and reappeared on either side of Hermione, "Is someone jealous of the attention?" Fred asked.

"Because we can give you the same attention," George said.

"Hey, none of that," Ron said before sitting down.

"Shut up Ronald," George said.

"Maybe you could learn something," Fred said before they leaned in to kiss Hermione on the cheek.

"I think I'll go blind now," Ginny said as she joined everyone. She took a seat next to Ron.

For the first time, Hermione was actually speechless. She didn't know what to say. She was actually blushing.

"I was trying to have a private conversation with Harry," Izzie said.

"You should know better that," Ginny said, "There are no private conversations in this house."

"Harry's only been back for five minutes and everyone is crowding him," Izzie said.

"I honestly don't mind," Harry said.

"Harry, be quiet," Izzie ordered.

"We have all missed him," Hermione said before walking away from the twins to sit down as well, "Boys, stop it," she complained as the twins started to become handsy.

"I know," Fred said.

"Why don't we," George said.

"Play a game?" Fred asked.

"The last time I played a game with you two, Fred attacked my lips," Izzie said.

"And you enjoyed that," she was about to say something, "Don't deny it love," Fred said.

"Come on," George said, "The whole gang is here."

"It should be fun," Harry said.

"Of course you think that, Harry, because you're hoping to get more action from Izzie," Fred said.

A pillow was thrown at his head.

Not known to the group, they were being watched by Sirius and Lupin. They were glad to see everyone was happy and things getting back to normal. Even if it is for a little while. They enjoyed seeing them acting like children, before they couldn't anymore.

XXX

The group stayed up late talking and playing games. It took Mrs. Weasley to send them all to bed because no one could get any sleep with all their giggling and rough housing.

Harry was the first one to wake up the next morning. He was thirsty as he made his way to the kitchen. Once he stepped onto the last landing, he heard snoring sounds coming from behind curtains. He thought it was very odd, so he decided to check it out. He had no idea how sorry we would be once the screaming started. The screaming was coming from the moving portrait that occupied the space behind the curtains.

Harry stood back stunned as everyone filled out of their rooms. Sirius fumbled down the stairs to close the curtains. Soon after he did that, the noise stopped.

"Harry, come words of advice, don't open the curtains," Sirius said.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"That was Grams," Izzie said, sleeplessly.

Harry looked confused, "My mother," Sirius explained, "Lovely woman."

"Izzie, is that what you wear to bed?" Ron asked, staring at her.

She was wearing short-shorts and a tank top, "What?" she asked.

"Alright, everyone back to bed," Mrs. Weasley said, "We could all use a few more hours rest."

Everyone started to file back into their rooms, "Ron," Sirius called, "Keep your eyes to yourself," he warned.

Unnoticed to Sirius, Hermione and Ginny couldn't keep their eyes off of Sirius.

Izzie rolled her eyes before grabbing Hermione to drag her back to their room. Before closing the door, "Put a shirt on," she said.

Left on the landing was Harry, Sirius and Lupin.

"Yes, old man, put a shirt on. It's rather distracting," Lupin teased before making his way back to his room.

Harry laughed as he continued his way to the kitchen.

"I didn't think I was that distracting," Sirius said before entering his room and closing the door.

XXX

The next week at Grimmauld place was spent cleaning rooms that weren't being used. Most of them hated doing the work but Harry appreciated it, because it kept his mind off on the upcoming hearing. It was a nice distraction for him.

On the morning of the hearing, everyone was gathered around the table eating breakfast. Just like every day that week, Izzie was trying to reassure him that everything was going to be okay. Dumbledore would fix everything.

"Nothing bad will happen. Dumbledore will make sure of that," Izzie said.

"I wish I could have your confidence but I haven't seen Dumbledore at all," Harry said.

"He is a very busy man," Mrs. Weasley said as she served him more eggs.

"Harry, are you ready to go?" Mr. Weasley said, "Molly, stop feeding him eggs. It's going to make him sick."

"I just wanted to make sure he gets plenty to eat," Mrs. Weasley said, "They starve him over there," she said, referring to the Dudleys.

"We are going to be late if we don't leave now," Mr. Weasley said.

With one more look at his friends, Harry followed Mr. Weasley out of the kitchen to face the one thing that he was dreading all week.

Hours had passed before Harry and Mr. Weasley came back. Mr. Weasley looked happy as ever but Harry looked troubled.

"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"It was a heated debate but Harry is in the clear. He will be able to go back to Hogwarts with everyone else this year," Mr. Weasley said.

Everyone was happy and they congratulated him. Harry tried to look happy for them but he was still troubled. It wasn't until later when he was alone with Izzie, Hermione and Ron did he decide to fill them in on what happened at the hearing.

"It sounds like Dumbledore did great job," Ron said.

"He did," Harry said, "But he would stop for a moment to speak with me. He didn't even look at me. That's what I was thinking the whole time. He spoke to the council without even looking at me."

"Not even once?" Izzie asked.

"No," he said.

"He must have a reason," Hermione reasoned.

"But what would it be?" Harry asked.

"None of this makes any sense," Hermione said.

"When did it ever?" Izzie asked.