"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve Grimmauld Place, London."
Harry read the letter, confused, and the large townhouse pushed itself into view. Quickly he had been ushered inside, and sent upstairs to where Ron and Hermione were.
"He was so angry." Said Hermione in an almost awestruck voice. "Dumbledore. When he heard Mundungus had left and Penny…" She trailed off glancing at Ron.
"What?" Harry asked immediately. "What's happened to Penny?" He persisted as even Ron looked uneasy.
"They argued. Penny and Dumbledore. It was terrifying, we could feel the whole house shaking, they were both shouting so much. Dumbledore was so angry she went to see you and left you unguarded. Next thing Ginny and I knew Penny appeared up here and got Kreacher –"
"Who?" Harry interrupted.
"The crazy House elf that worships Penny." Ron interjected, getting a look from Hermione.
"Kreacher took her somewhere...she hasn't been seen since." Hermione finished, wringing her hands distractedly
"So Penny what…Apparated up here? She can do that? And some House elf apparated her away? I thought you can't Apparate in and out of protective charms?" Harry said confused, his hands running through his hair, making it even more unruly.
"She must have been really frightened of Dumbledore to have Apparated…she should be too old to do magic by accident." Ron commented. Hermione nodded in concerned agreement.
"And elf magic is different to human magic." Hermione added reminding Harry.
"So she has just vanished?" Harry said. "Dumbledore, the Order…surely they are looking for her? Anything could have happened to her!" Harry said.
"Course they are looking for her mate," Ron said with a slight eye roll. "Seems like even Dumbledore himself is looking for her."
"That's the worrying thing." Hermione said slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. "Penny is exceptionally talented, but I don't see how she can have just vanished without a Trace, especially given she still has the Trace on her. Not unless..." Hermione stopped talking, chewing her lip. Harry saw a glance between Hermione and Ron and knew what she was implying.
"No." He said firmly. "Penny would not go to Voldemort. That would be crazy."
"I don't want to believe it either, Harry." Hermione said quickly. "But you didn't see the look on her face. I have never seen her look that frightened. I don't think I have ever seen anyone look that frightened." Hermione said, looking apologetically at Harry. Harry paused, a small seed of doubt in his gut, as the image of Penny abandoning him in the alley way crossed his mind.
"She was a right idiot to go against Dumbledore in the first place but Penny always does what she wants." Ron suddenly added, getting a furious look from Harry.
"Well I'm glad she went against him. I'm glad Mundungus left." He said coldly. "If she hadn't, I wouldn't have done magic, and Dumbledore would probably have left me at Privet Drive all summer." Harry said frostily.
Their conversation wound on, Harry shouting his frustration at being kept in the dark, and learning the limited information over the next few days. Kreacher had stared at him several times, muttering rapidly under his breath.
"The boy Mistress Penny spoke so fondly of, Kreacher doesn't see why." Harry heard him say on one occasion. The next few days were full of cleaning the infested house, Kreacher reverting to an unhelpful state with Penny's absence. Harry saw him once wondering around the house, clinging to what looked like a pillow, Penny's according to Hermione.
"Can't Sirius just order him to reveal where he took Penny?" Harry asked Hermione one afternoon, as the House Elf skulked past him, muttering as usual, his arms cradling Penny's pillow like a child.
"They tried, but Penny had somehow erased his memory." Hermione replied, Ron muttering darkly about 'fancy mind tricks'.
The night before Harry's Ministry Hearing, Dumbledore sat down in the kitchen, with Tonks and Sirius. The dancing flames in the fire place made the wrinkles on his face look etched deeper than ever.
"Are you sure she'll come?" Tonks asked Dumbledore who nodded gravely without looking up from the fire.
"She knows Harry's Hearing is tomorrow. If she returns at all before school resumes, it will be tonight." He said, staring into the fireplace. Sirius looked reproachfully across at him.
"I still don't know what you were thinking, raising your wand to her like that." Sirius scowled. "I of all people know how good she is at pressing people's buttons but she is still a little girl." Sirius said as Tonks snorted.
"And yet you speak of Harry, a boy barely a year older, as if he were an adult." Tonks said teasingly. "Sexist much, Sirius?" Sirius continued to scowl, but looked mildly sheepish. "Having crossed wands with her, I can say she is far from defenceless." Tonks argued as Dumbledore remained silent. The rest of the house was eerily silent as the hours ticked on. Close to midnight they heard the telling creak of the door upstairs, standing out amongst the quiet. Glancing at Dumbledore, Tonks swiftly climbed the stairs.
"Mistress -!" Kreacher began, falling silent as Penny put a finger to her lips, nodding pointedly at the sleeping portraits. Kreacher looked apologetic, bowing repeatedly low at Penny's feet. Juno was coiled on the floor, hissing softly but looking somewhat more lethargic than usual. Penny was just removing her cloak as her cousin appeared in the staircase doorway, a cautious but welcoming smile. Gingerly moving past the troll leg umbrella stand, Tonks reached her cousin just as Penny past her cloak to an eager Kreacher.
"Wotcher Penny!" Tonks whispered to the younger witch as she gave her a quick hug. Tonks nodded to the watching Juno, who tilted her head in return.
"Is he…?" Penny asked to which Tonks nodded. There was a fleeting look of fear across Penny's face before a haughty mask settled on her face.
"Sirius and I are here too." Tonks said quickly, recognising the young witch's unease. Penny nodded in response before heading down the stairs, Juno trailing slowly behind her.
Halfway down the stairs the kitchen came into full view, Sirius sat at the table end closest to her, and Dumbledore down the far end. Penny paused on the stair briefly as the Headmaster's blue eyes met her blazing ones, his own searching her face carefully. Feeling Tonks approaching behind her Penny resumed her descent, doing her best to appear unfazed. Penny was sure however, that the Headmaster had not missed the muscle tensing in her jaw, or how her hand rested in her pocket, gripping the handle of her wand tightly.
"Persephone." Dumbledore said in a gentle tone as Penny approached a seat at the table, exchanging a greeting look with Sirius. Before she reached it however, it moved apparently on its own, until she spotted Kreacher's snout just below the seat. Making an amused nose, she settled on as Kreacher tucked it in beneath her, Juno curling beside her. "I am glad to see you are unharmed." Dumbledore continued, not reacting to Penny's snort of derision.
"Glad I am unharmed, or that I have no harmed others?" Penny shot back.
"Does one exclude the other Persephone?" Dumbledore replied before taking a mournful tone. "I owe you an apology Persephone." He went on as Penny watched him haughtily. "I should never have raised my wand to you. As your elder, I should set a better example when controlling my emotions, and I certainly failed at that. I apologise."
"You wanted to kill me." Penny said in quiet but cold voice. Dumbledore paused a slight hesitation as both Tonks and Sirius stared at him.
"Persephone, you must understand how much of a risk you pose to everything I am trying to protect, if you were to decide to go down that path." Dumbledore hastily. "I pictured of all of that, and yes, I am ashamed to admit I considered it. But the thought was gone as fast as it came."
"Do not lie to me." Penny snarled back. "You weren't thinking of it for righteous reasons, you thought of it because you were angry, NOTHING more. Tell the truth!" Penny finished, ringing force in the last three words. A flicker crossed the old man's face before he looked away and sighed.
"It no longer matters the why." Dumbledore said heavily. "I cannot undo what has been done, I can only apologise and live with the shame." He finished staring silently into the fireplace for a moment. Another heavy sigh escaped him before he turned back to face the young witch, ignoring the looks of enraged disbelief from Tonks and Sirius. "I know you are angry with me, you have every right to be, and to have lost all your trust of me. And yet I ask you to tell me truthfully, where you have been for the last ten days." Dumbledore asked, Penny's lip curling in annoyance.
"You are in no position to ask anything of me." She spat as Dumbledore's piercing eyes scanned her. "Are you really going to try and use Legilimency on me?" She sneered in disbelief, feeling his attempts to find anything useful in her mind. She almost chuckled when she felt him find nothing but an empty echoing fog within her mind. She watched his face frown in puzzlement as he withdrew, making an amused noise. "And I get called rude for doing it unintentionally." Penny muttered as she glared at him. "I didn't go to him, or anyone connected with him." Penny said coolly, still glaring at the Headmaster who watched her carefully. "That's all I shall tell you. Anything else is more than you need to know." She finished, her emphasis on the last part making Sirius snort next to her. Dumbledore looked her over his glasses for a few moments, his piercing eyes scrutinizing her face closely before Penny spoke again.
"You are not the only one with secrets, Dumbledore." Penny said softly. "Funny, how much you hate it when the boot is on the other foot isn't it." Penny acknowledged rolling her eyes. "We are wasting time." She said abruptly, shifting her position slightly, her grip loosening but not fully releasing her wand. "You know why I am here." She said. Dumbledore remained silent for a moment more before seeming to make a decision to let her evasion slide.
"Harry's hearing is in the morning as you know." Dumbledore began. "It's supposed to be at 11 o'clock, but I believe they may change the time unnecessarily."
"To make Harry late and look bad?" Penny asked, letting out an angry hiss as Dumbledore nodded. "Dirty trick." Penny muttered to herself. Sirius growled his agreement.
"I have told Arthur to take Harry with him to work, early enough in case they do utilise such an underhand tactic. As for his defence, we have Arabella Figg –"
"The Squib?" Penny interrupted as Dumbledore gave her a reproachful look.
"Yes. We have Arabella as a witness to the attack, and we have you." Dumbledore said waiting as Penny eyes widened.
"You're joking right?" She asked incredulously. "You expect me to go in there, admit that I was even present, and then expect them to not only not automatically assume I was the law breaker, but also believe my version of events? No offense Professor, but have you licked a load of Leaping Toadstools recently?" Penny asked, Sirius and Tonks both bursting out laughing.
"I am serious, Persephone." Dumbledore said.
"No, I am." Sirius interjected sniggering, going silent as Dumbledore gave him a look.
"Having me as a witness will not help Harry's case. Daughter of Darkness remember?" Penny said.
"You will act as Harry's witness, he as yours, and both your versions of events reinforced by Arabella." Dumbledore explained.
"You and Harry protecting one another will not exactly be a novel experience." Sirius commented, Tonks nodding in agreement.
"Might be a chance for you and Harry to kiss and make up." Tonks teased, cackling as Penny shot daggers at her.
"So that's it? Your defence of Harry is based on me and a Squib? Why not throw in a werewolf for good measure?" Penny said sarcastically.
"Nothing wrong with werewolves." Tonks protested quickly.
"I'm not saying it's right, just pointing out the Ministry's many grudges." Penny said with a sigh.
"I understand it is not ideal, frankly I was hoping it would not even come to this, however given someone's reckless actions…" Dumbledore trailed off, his eyes blazing as he looked pointedly at Penny. A flicker of fear shot across Penny's face, her hand regripping her wand tightly. Dumbledore paused, appearing to gather himself. "However, this is where we find ourselves. I ask you to do this Persephone, not for my sake, but for Harry's." Dumbledore finished, looking over his glasses at Penny once more. Pouting, Penny gave a slight inclination of the head. Rising from his seat, Penny watched him head towards the door. "I will collect you once Harry and Arthur have left. It would be best if Harry did not know you were here just yet." Dumbledore said, Penny scowling but not objecting. The click of the front door told of his departure.
"Please tell me you are going to do as you are asked." Sirius said quickly to Penny, who looked down her nose at him.
"Expert on obeying the rules are we?" Penny said sarcastically as Sirius sniggered slightly. "What happened with St Mungo's?" Penny asked.
"I sorted it. Told them you had caught a mild case of Spattergoit. Real contagious so they wouldn't want you in the hospital, but can clear up quickly sometimes." Tonks explained. "That Hilda is a force to be reckoned with, isn't she?" Kreacher appeared next to Penny, a large plate balanced on his head.
"Kreacher thought Mistress might be hungry." Kreacher in a doting voice. He laid the plate with steaming cheese doughballs in front of her, bowing low. Penny lifted one from the plate, only to have it snatched away by Tonks, who popped it straight into her mouth. An instant look of regret appeared on the young woman's face, as her face reddening, her panting rapidly as the hot food burnt her mouth. Penny and Sirius roared with laughter as she fanned her face, chewing rapidly. Kreacher, who had been looking murderously at the theft, squealed nastily with glee at the sight of Tonks hopping around.
"Kreacher shut up." Sirius snapped, the house elf falling silent with a sour look at Sirius.
"One for the road." Tonks snatching another one, but not eating it yet and making her way up the stairs with a wink. Penny rolled her eyes before tucking into her remaining doughballs. Sirius and her had chatted easily as she ate, sharing their irritation with the Headmaster. Though he also asked where she had been, he didn't press the issue when she remained silent.
Penny had wondered upstairs, asking Kreacher to run a bath for Juno, lowering the furiously hissing snake into the warm depths.
"Trust me, it will help." Penny hissed to her reluctant pet. Juno's eyes had become covered in a blue film, a typical sign she would shed soon. For the last two days she had been bad tempered, snapping her jaw at Penny. The young witch was slightly worried about her pet, the shed seeming to be more strenuous than usual. She stroked Juno gently as the reptile soaked, the serpent making low noises in Parseltongue that sounded like a low hum to Penny.
Leaving Juno to soak a while, Penny past a bedroom she knew Ron stayed in. Harry would be in there, Penny realised, a slight jolt in her gut. She stood frozen for a second, before glancing around herself. She turned the handle very gently, the door moving with the quietest of creaks. She could see feet hanging off the end of one bed, a shorter figure curled under the covers of the other bed. Harry, Penny thought to herself, a warm buzz in her stomach. She approached the side of the bed, looking down fondly at the boy who slept so soundly, his usual messy hair all over his eyes. A snore from behind her made her glance round irritably at the Weasley boy, imagining placing a pillow over his face. Looking back at Harry, she reached out her hand to move a lock of hair out of his face before stopping herself. Straightening herself up, she left the room without a sound, closing the door gently behind her. Retrieving Juno, she went into the room she shared with Ginny and Hermione, both girls fast asleep. Hermione was curled up in a neat ball, her face resting delicately on the back of her hand. Penny felt a rush of affection for the older witch, a smile forming on her face. Looking round at Ginny, Penny suppressed a cackle. The small witch was eagle spread on her bed, her mouth open slackly, a trail of drool formed at the corner of her mouth. Such a difference in elegance, Penny noted. Sniggering quietly Penny sat on the edge of Ginny's bed, gathering a section of duvet and placing it over the redhead's mouth.
Almost instantly the redhead's eyes snapped open, a muffled yell and struggling limbs as Penny shushed her. Recognising the other witch, Ginny froze for a second before a muffled shriek escaped her. "Fe nee!"
"Shh!" Penny said pointedly, releasing the duvet as the red head stopped struggling. "Miss me?" Penny asked as the red head stared at her, a million questions in her mind. "Yer, yer, we'll get to that. More importantly how do I wake Hermione without her shrieking the house down?" Penny asked, the red head glancing over to the bushy haired witch.
"I'll do it." Ginny mumbled groggily, staggering sleepily as she crossed the room, whispering the older witch's name. "Promise me you won't scream." Ginny muttered, the older witch's eyes opening widely at the comment. Ginny put a finger to her lips and gestured over to Penny.
"PEN-!" Hermione started, Ginny swiftly clamping her hand over the older witch's mouth.
"Told ya." Penny chuckled to Ginny, who released Hermione who stared at Penny with shock. Snorting slightly Penny rolled her eyes at the numerous questions she sensed from Hermione too. It was going to be a long night.
