Thanks again for all your notes! A special thank you to 'phoenix83ad', who once again has picked up on some of the little things that I forget about…I'll bear it in mind from now on! And also to 'ShawThang' who I believe has followed this from the beginning, and also continuously puts in helpful comments! Hope you all enjoy the next part!
Chapter 11
Teenage Kicks
Midnight. Most of the residents of Grimmauld Place lay fast asleep…but there were a few exceptions.
In the boy's room, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dawn all sat wide-awake, partaking in one of their night time chats. These had become a regular occurrence during the hot summer evenings, and with the arrival of Dawn, the talks seemed to last longer and longer each night.
"So what happened next?" asked Dawn through a mouthful of chocolate frog. She reached out and grabbed a packet of Drooble's gum, which she decided was next to be devoured.
"Well…then I managed to get Ron and the girl to the surface," Harry continued his story, Ron ever so often adding a soft "Yeah…that was wicked." Hermione, lying on Harry's bed, remained engrossed in a book she'd plucked from the Black's desecrated library; absentmindedly stroking Crookshank's head. Once the story of the second task had been told, a hush fell upon the little crowd.
"So what about the next task?" Dawn enquired, before blowing an impressive bubble, bigger than any she'd ever blown before. It splattered onto her cheek with a large POP, and she hastily plucked the sweet, gooey mess off her cheek. She was beginning to like all these magical foods. Ron cast a anxious look at Harry, and the dark haired boy's face fell. Hermione slowly looked up from her book. Dawn sensed that perhaps it hadn't been the best of questions to ask. She snatched another piece of gum. The silence remained, pressing down upon her ears.
"Er…the third task was a maze," began Ron with a nervous glance at his friends, "And Harry had to get past all sorts of stu-"
"No." Harry interrupted sharply, fixing his eyes on the American.
"Dawn should know the truth Ron," Hermione spoke ominously from her place on the bed, "She's helping us with this..."
Dawn wasn't exactly sure if she really wanted to know. She kicked herself inwardly. How many times was it now that her nosy attitude had gotten her into trouble? Too many.
"The third task was when Voldemort was brought back…" Harry spoke finally, and although his gaze was focusing on Dawn, she could see he wasn't really concentrating.
"Oh…" she said softly, chewing as quietly as she could. She gulped down some saliva and examined the shiny wrapper. Hermione looked rather business like.
"Dawn, is there anything else you want to know about Voldemort?" she asked seriously.
"Hermione…" Ron physically shuddered and nudged his head meaningfully at Harry; and quite obviously in Dawn's opinion. Hermione tutted, whereas Harry turned his gaze away into the distance.
"Erm…n-not really…I suppose…who…brought him back?" she tentatively looked up.
"Wormtail." Said an unmoving Harry. This meant nothing to Dawn.
"Peter Pettigrew…" explained Hermione briskly, "His nickname is Wormtail, because he's an animagus. He can turn into a rat…he was a friend of Harry's parents, and Remus…and Sirius…" she trailed off herself, unsure what else to say.
Dawn could sense there was more, but didn't dare ask. In fact, at that particular moment in time, she didn't dare breathe.
"He was their friend…he betrayed my parents. He told Voldemort where they were. He was the one who framed Sirius." Harry still remained fixed on the floor behind Dawn, but now an angry glint in his eyes shone in the flame from the one candle they were using as their source of light.
"Framed?" Dawn said puzzled. Hermione continued to explain.
"Sirius was framed for the murder of Peter, but he didn't really die…and everyone blamed him for Harry's parents' death too…he was locked up in Azkaban. The wizard prison. He escaped..."
"That's why this is all very secretive…the Ministry are still looking for him…" Harry looked up, and gauged Dawn's expression. He frowned, "Didn't anyone tell you this?"
Dawn shook her head. Harry sighed…he must have explained it a few times to people…Dawn could only imagine how exhausted he felt, with this burden of knowledge. And once upon a time she'd thought she'd had a rough time being the key and all. She looked at Harry and wondered how he dealt with everything…what he had been through, and what else was to come...
A sound like a whip-crack came from the corner. Fred and George were both stood grinning broadly.
"What have you done?" Ron asked suspiciously. His brothers' grins only widened.
"Seriously…what have you done?" Hermione glared at the twins, and their smiles faded. Obviously Hermione had authority…either that or Fred and George were afraid of her usual threat…either tell her or she'd tell their Mother.
"Hermione…we've only been carrying out the wishes of a one Xander Harris…" Began George,
Dawn started to smile.
"Yes…we just had a little job to see to…and we wondered if you were still awake so we thought we'd call in. But…" Fred yawned widely, and very fakely, "We're off to bed now…ever so tired. 'Night!"
And with another whip-crack, they were gone.
In the morning, Fred and George were nowhere to be seen. It was discovered very early at daybreak, that the twins had indeed carried out their 'house-elf head' plan, and now a very shaken Andrew gripped a mug of coffee in the kitchen, whilst a storming Mrs. Weasley began breakfast.
By mid-morning, the two marauding Weasleys still hadn't been found.
"Oh Arthur, I'm sick of them! Really! Giving Andrew such a fright…"
"Now Molly, it was probably a mistake…Fred and George probably meant…"
"No excuses Arthur!! I swear those two will either end up killing someone…or each other…HOPEFULLY THE LATTER!!!" she screeched the final sentence in the hope that her sons might hear her. However, if they did, they made no sign of it.
Dawn had the chance to do some more exploring whilst Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny finished some last minute work for school ("Honestly…you'd think Snape had never heard of the word 'holiday'" exclaimed Ron). She wandered around a bit here and there, eventually coming across the drawing room. A quick glance in and out…but something made her look back. A tuft of red hair peaked out from behind a moss coloured curtain, and a few clouds of dust spewed into the air. Dawn heard faint mumbles…and she grinned as a plan hatched in her brain.
Creeping silently across the room, Dawn stood next to the curtain.
"Mum's going mad…"
"What do you mean going?"
With a silent titter, Dawn yanked the curtain aside to reveal the petrified looking twins. The looks upon their faces caused her to giggle manically. Fred and George didn't look impressed.
"Beat you at your own game!" declared Dawn, still laughing a little.
"Is that a challenge?" Asked Fred mischievously. Dawn grinned back at them. She couldn't help but like Fred and George…even through difficult times they had the ability to keep a positive outlook. Dawn admired people like this; they always appeared to be very strong.
Not wanting to find any house-elf body parts in her own bed, Dawn politely declined, and headed off upstairs for a guided tour of the rest of the house.
Spike and Sirius looked at each other apprehensively. Not much had been said since their last conversation, but now, as their garish surroundings got (if it was even possible) brighter…they both could feel the slight pressure that was pushing down upon them…around them…closing in…
"Has this ever happened before?" asked Sirius, whirling around, trying to see what was causing the changes. Spike shook his head, his mouth dry.
"No…" he said hoarsely…
A way off in the distance, neither spotted the figure forming from the light…