Chapter 31
Harry sighed as he finished eating his food.
"Um Harry? When's the last time you ate something?" Eric asked.
Harry looked up to see everyone except for Alex and Hermione looking slightly disgusted. Alex was too used to his eating habits and Hermione already knew about them beforehand due to eating meals with them sometimes in the past year.
Harry frowned thoughtfully, tapping his chin.
"I don't remember," he said cheerfully.
"That's not good," Lily said in a disapproving tone. "Harry, you need to take better care of yourself."
"He's been like this his entire life. No use in trying to change him now," Alex said, eating some mashed potatoes.
"No wonder you two are so skinny," Molly said. "You need more meat on your bones."
"I don't eat meat," Alex said.
"What's so bad about it?" Ron asked, biting into a chicken leg.
Alex curled his lip up in disgust.
"The taste of any kind of meat or dairy repulses me," Alex said. He pointed at Harry. "Besides, living with someone who eats barely cooked meat would turn anyone against meat."
"He's got you there," Eric said, looking pointedly at Ron.
Ron rolled his eyes and went back to his food.
"Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.
"It was my pleasure, Harry," Molly said, smiling. "Alex, is everything to your liking?"
"Yes, thank you," Alex said.
He finished off the rest of his food.
"May we be excused? We still haven't finished unpacking," Alex said.
"Go ahead," James said.
The twins walked out.
"Those two concern me," Molly said. "With their eating habits, it makes me worry what kind of home life they have. You said it was bad, but now I wonder just how bad."
"No use pondering on it," Lily said, sighing. "They're here, so we'll look after them until they go back to their home."
Molly looked unhappy at this but nodded in acceptance anyways.
It had been a month since the twins came to stay at 12 Grimmauld Place. As usual, after dinner, the twins were excused early and they went up to their room. The twins were talking softly in the room when Eric and Ron came in.
"Hey guys," Eric said.
The twins looked at them.
"There's a meeting going on downstairs right now. We're not allowed to attend since we're too young, so they sent us up here," Eric explained.
There was a sudden loud crack as Fred and George Weasley Apparated into the room. Eric and Ron yelped in surprise while Alex and Harry remained unfazed.
"Hello Eric, little brother," the Weasley twins said in unison.
Fred and George turned to the other pair of twins.
"Ah, identical twins," Fred said.
"Just like us," George said.
"Fred-
"and George-
"Weasley," the Weasley twins finished in unison, bowing. "How do you do?"
"Fine," Alex said. "I'm Alex."
"Harry," Harry said, smiling cheerfully.
Fred and George leaned in.
"Wow, you two look really identical, just like us!" they exclaimed.
"We have different eye colors," Harry said, tilting his head.
"That must be handy," the Weasley twins chorused.
They straightened up.
"Anyways, we were wondering if you would like to join us in eavesdropping on the meeting," George said.
"Are you insane? They'll catch us," Ron said.
"Not with these!" Fred said, pulling out ears from his pocket.
"What are they?" Eric asked, taking one.
"Extendable Ears," the Weasley twins chorused. "The perfect tool for eavesdropping."
"One of our earlier products," Fred said, casually checking his nails.
"But still useful," George said, dusting imaginary dust from his shoulder.
"It might be useful to keep up to date on whatever the Order is planning," Eric said. "Let's do it."
"You two in?" the Weasley twins asked, looking at Alex and Harry.
"Sure, why not?" Harry stated. "It'll be fun."
They snuck down the stairs before settling on a spot. Fred and George carefully lowered the Extendable Ears and gave them each a string to listen from.
"Any news from Severus?" they heard Lily ask.
"No," Dumbledore replied. "He's still at the Dark Lord's hideout."
"Perhaps he's been caught," James said.
"No, Severus is a very good spy," Dumbledore said. "I have faith in his abilities."
"What about those two children he seemed...concerned about?" Sirius asked. "Snape said it himself; he's more scared of two children than of You-Know-Who because they know everything, or something like that."
"These two children, brothers, may become a large problem in the future for us," Dumbledore said. "As of now, one of the brothers is on par with Snape's Potions skills, perhaps even greater. We cannot afford to lose our spy because Voldemort has a better Potions maker in his ranks. However, that child is most likely stationed in the heart of Voldemort's hideout. There's no hope in reaching him. Our other option is the brother that is actually a Death Eater."
"Poor child, forced to kill at such a young age," Molly muttered.
"Molly, please understand that these children are not being forced in any way," Dumbledore said gently but firmly. "I trust Severus's word and if he says these two boys are working willingly for Voldemort, they are."
"I refuse to believe it until I see it with my own two eyes, Albus!" Molly retorted. "It is just too unbelievable, to think two mere children would kill for that horrible man!"
"I know, Molly," Dumbledore said. "But there is nothing we can do now."
"So what exactly are you suggesting?" James asked.
"I am saying we capture one of the brothers," Dumbledore said. "On the next raid, one of them will most likely be there. If we can capture him, we can find out more about him and his brother. Snape's position would be safer as well if the plan goes accordingly. However, we cannot underestimate this boy. If he is already a Death Eater and capable of using dark magic, he must be a prodigy in magic; the same must be true for his brother, but in Potions. These two boys are not ordinary children. As young as they are, if we underestimate them, it's over."
"We understand, Albus," Lily said. "But I don't like the idea of fighting and capturing a child."
"None of us do," Dumbledore said. "I despise the fact that Voldemort would recruit such young children into his ranks...but this is war. War does many horrid things."
Fred and George motioned for them to give the strings back. They did so and the Weasley twins quickly winded up the Extendable Ears. They rushed up the stairs quietly before crashing into their room.
"I can't believe it," Eric said. "You-Know-Who is recruiting children into his army now? How terrible can he get?!"
"As terrible as it sounds, Dumbledore was right about one thing," Alex said. "We're on the verge of a war and You-Know-Who would do anything, even recruit children to fight, kill, and die for him."
"But you heard what they said! Dumbledore said that those two kids joined You-Know-Who of their own free will!" Ron exclaimed. "Who does that?!"
"There's no doing anything about it," Harry said. "Those two boys made their decision."
Ron opened his mouth to say something else, but Eric stopped him.
"They're right, Ron," Eric said. "The most we can do now is fight; we'll eventually have to. You-Know-Who will strike sooner or later and we all have to be ready to fight for our lives."
Ron looked away, nodding reluctantly.
"Let's go tell Hermione and Ginny what we found out," Eric said.
"We'll stay here," Alex said.
The other four nodded and left the room. As soon as they were out of earshot, Harry flicked his hand, putting up a silencing spell once more. He giggled.
"How interesting," he said. "The Order wishes to capture you, Alex."
"They won't succeed," Alex said, scoffing. "I won't go on the next raid."
"Ah, but then they'll be suspicious," Harry said, poking his twin in the arm. "You've always been on the raids during the summer, especially the bigger ones, and the Order knows that. I mean, if it's a smaller raid, they'll send in the Aurors to take care of it. But if the Inner Circle got involved, the Order will get involved. Those raids are the ones you've always been a part of. If you don't turn up for the next big one, they'll know they have a mole."
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Alex gritted out, crossing his arms.
"I'll figure something out, but you will have to go on the next raid once we get back," Harry said. "When the next raid hits, the Order will be in a frenzy no doubt. I'll cover for you while you go participate in it."
"Cover for me how?" Alex asked, narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Oh, I'll just say you're sick or something," Harry said cheerfully.
Alex's eye twitched.
"You're unbearable," he hissed.
"You like me anyways," Harry giggled.
Alex made to grab at his neck, but Harry sprang out of the way. He giggled again before tutting at his twin.
"Control yourself, dear brother," he said. "Now then, let's go explore the house, shall we?"
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"We still have a Horcrux to find, remember?" Harry stated.
Alex sighed and nodded. Harry took down the silencing spell as they walked out. The house was very old and some sections were falling apart.
"How dreadful," Alex muttered, glancing around.
"Ooh look! The library! I'm sure there are many books in there!" Harry exclaimed.
Alex grabbed him, glaring at him pointedly. Harry pouted.
"I'll look at it later then," he relented.
They walked past a portrait.
"YOU! FILTHY MUDBLOODS!" A lanky, dark-haired woman in the portrait screeched. "DIRTYING MY HOUSE, HOW DARE YOU?! DIE!"
The woman continued to screech and sneer at them. Alex gritted his teeth, feeling a headache coming on.
"Shut up," he snarled.
The portrait halted in the profanities and insults out of surprise of the harsh tone. Harry leaned down to read the name of the portrait. He smirked.
"Walburga Black," he said, looking up to see the woman.
Walburga scowled at him.
"Why are you screeching at us?" Harry asked.
"I refuse to have you filthy mudbloods in my house," Walburga spat. "Get out of here! This is the ancestral home of the Ancient and Noble House of Black! And that despicable boy that dares calls himself a Black just gives this home to the Light Side?! He was always too soft! I should've disowned him to the point where he couldn't even call himself Sirius Black!"
"Ah, so you're Sirius's mother," Harry nodded. "I can see the resemblance."
"Don't take that tone with me, boy!" Walburga snarled.
"Silence, both of you," Alex ordered. "Your bickering is making my headache worse."
Harry and Walburga looked at him in unison.
"Sorry, Alex," Harry said.
"Who are you two?" Walburga asked. "Something tells me you are not mere children."
"What makes you think that?" Harry asked, tilting his head.
"He seems too mature to be a mere brat," Walburga, nodding at Alex before turning to Harry. "And you, your eyes have a tinge of instability in them."
"Oh my, she's good," Harry said, chuckling. "Alex, why don't we tell her? Surely she'll know what we're looking for."
Harry's smile grew into a cruel smirk.
"After all, she knows this house better than anyone else."