The drive to the Burrow was long but the car had been modified to drive faster than a normal one. On the way Rose and Harry told Remus and Sirius about Dudley's reaction to being saved and that they had given him one of their two way mirrors, just in case.
"You did the right thing. Maybe he'll grow smarter than his parents." Remus replied with an approving nod.
"I'll get you a new mirror. You did the right thing, Remus is right. Maybe you can even invite him to visit you next summer." Sirius added.
"I hope so." Harry nodded, he had always wanted a big loving family like the Weasley and now that it was a possibility, he wanted Dudley to be a part of his life too.
"So, tonight, we'll stay at the Burrow. A few members of the Order were invited for dinner. It's a party for Rose and Sirius. Hagrid will be there, along with Dumbledore, a couple of your teachers and a number of members that you don't know yet but will like. Bill Weasley is still home and he has asked for a desk Job in London. He doesn't want to leave his family now that danger is so close and Fleur Delacour has taken a part time job at the bank too. We think they like each other a lot. Charlie's still in Romania though. He's trying to recruit members over there, helping from a distance and ready to come back the minute he's needed in a battle." Remus explained.
"Have the twins been a problem for the two of you yet?" Harry asked them with a chuckle.
"Seriously, they are taking it a bit far." Remus nodded while Sirius chuckled.
"Every time I mention needing something, they rush to get it for me. They make me feel like I'm some sort of king, I love it." Sirius added, obviously enjoying the attention they gave him.
"To them, you probably are." Harry replied.
"It's a bit too much and it's annoying their mother." Remus declared.
"It's fun and I'm enjoying it. Plus, Molly didn't complain when I mentioned that it was my turn to do the dishes and clean the entire kitchen and they did it completely for me. They love hearing tales of my past adventures with your father." Sirius told them.
"I think I'd like to hear them as well." Rose whispered.
"Of course. We started a ritual every night. After dinner, I tell them one story. I'll tell you two a second one once we're in the tent. You should know your father's exploits." Sirius nodded.
"But keep in mind that we won't condone you two repeating them when you get back to school." Remus declared in a very serious tone.
"Don't worry, if we do, you won't catch us. I don't break the rules unless I know for sure I can get away with it." Rose smiled sweetly at him, making them both chuckle.
"Like a true Marauder." Sirius whispered approvingly.
"It would be even better if we became animagus." Rose hinted with a faint blush.
"A little rebel, aren't you?" Sirius asked with a wink before changing the subject while Remus tried to nap in order to rest from the full moon.
.
Eventually, they arrived at the Burrows, where all the Weasley's seemed to be waiting for them. It was the end of the afternoon and Rose couldn't wait to get to know better all of her brother's friends. She knew that he considered them to be family and that it was important to him that she got along well with them.
"Hermione is still with her family. She'll probably join us a couple of weeks before we go back to school." Harry informed Rose.
"Can't blame her. She wants to spend some time with her family, she doesn't see much of them with school and all." Rose nodded.
"Can you try to be nice to Ron though? He is my best friend and I did forgive him for his behavior before the first task." Harry asked her.
"I told him my piece, I have nothing else to say to him about that and if he doesn't do it again, I won't have a problem with him, don't worry. We won't be the best of friends but I'm sure we'll be able to get along." She replied.
"Good." Harry smiled before he was hugged by Molly, who was asking him if they had both gotten enough to eat at the Dursley's.
About half an hour later, Dumbledore approached Sirius. Rose and Harry were standing nearby with Ginny, Ron, Fred and Georges and so they listened to the conversation.
"I know that you don't want to go back to your mother's house Sirius, I understand and for now the Kitchen is clean enough to be our meeting hall but the rest of the house should be cleaned as well, just in case someone needs a place to stay or if we have someone to hide." The headmaster insisted.
"I understand that Albus, I do, I just don't want to spend time there if I don't have to. And I refuse to let Harry, Rose or any of the other children there to help clean it. It's too dark for them." Sirius replied.
"I understand, which is why I have an idea. Dobby, a free house elf that used to belong to the Malfoy's and that Harry helped free, volunteered to help and clean it. He really likes Harry and feels like it would be a way for him to help."
"Really?" Sirius asked, surprised.
"Yes, really. I hired Bagman's old elf as well, Winky. She's not taking too well on being free, she feels like she has failed and Dobby wants to keep an eye on her so she'll be helping him. As long as you agree to let them in." Albus asked him.
"Hey, if they're crazy enough to want to get in there, spend time with Kreacher and clean this dump, they can clean to their heart's desire." Sirius joked.
"He'll be happy to know it. He might drop by once in a while to keep you informed of how they're going." Albus replied, a twinkle in his eyes, before he turned around to speak with Arthur Weasley about security measures.
"Why doesn't Sirius like this house?" Ginny asked.
"Probably because it belonged to his parents, it's filled with bad memories. I guess it's the same as if the Dursley died and left their house to Harry." Rose replied.
"Yeah, I'd sell it or give it away." Harry nodded.
After that, Ron and Harry went to talk on the side and Rose took the time to get to know better the other Weasley children. She really liked the twins, especially Fred, though she found Bill very handsome as well. If he was a bit younger, she might have been interested in him more, but considering the age difference, she didn't think much on it, especially if he had a crush on Fleur Delacour. Fred though, she couldn't stop thinking about him, she felt better when she was close to him and every time he paid her a bit of attention, she blushed. Nobody had ever made her feel this way before.
She got along well with them all and had a lot of fun that night.
"I really hope that Sirius takes the job of professor of Defense against the dark arts. It would be so cool for our last year…" Georges stated later that night.
"We'd be able to go out with a bang." Fred nodded with a wicked smile on his face.
"You want me to believe that you weren't already planning on going out with a bang?" Ginny chuckled.
"I think it won't take much convincing for him to accept it. He wants to be close to Harry and I, make sure we're safe, protect us. I think he'll take it." Rose smiled.
Rose didn't know why she found Fred more attractive than Georges, because they were identical twins but she didn't waste time thinking about it. She was just happy to see that Fred didn't seem to mind her company. Even if he only saw her as Harry's sister, it was still a good start.
What did you think?
I'm still not sure if Grindelwald will be there for a short scene or for longer, I'm still undecided. Voldemort will look for him, he might take him with him and if he does, he'll either kill him or Grindelwald will escape... Would he try to look for Albus? Make up for the past? Is he old enough to feel remorse? I don't know, we'll see.
Lorelei Candice Black