::::::-------------
Chapter Six: Deciding
::::::-------------
"All right then, Hermione, Miss-Let's-Save-the-World," sneered Ron, "What do you propose we do?"
Hermione was silent for a moment. "We gather up Dumbledore's Army and..."
"And what?" snapped Ron. "Take on You-Know-Who by ourselves?"
"If that's the plan," said Neville quietly. "I'm in."
"Don't be thick, Neville, it's a stupid plan," said Ginny savagely.
"I don't hear YOU coming up with anything better!" said Hermione heatedly.
"Enough!" said Tonks.
"I wonder who the spy is," Neville mused.
"It's a Slytherin obviously," said Ron automatically.
"What makes you so sure?" said Tonks.
"Well, it's definitely not a Gryffindor, is it?"
"Says who?" Tonks had her hands on her hips. "I was a Hufflepuff, but that doesn't make me a suspect!"
"Ravenclaw or Slytherin, then," conceded Ron.
Tonks gave an exasperated sigh. "You applying to be an Auror?"
"No."
"Good. You've entirely the wrong frame of mind for it. Too bigoted."
"Bigoted!" shouted Ron. "What are you on about? I don't go around killing Muggles or anything!"
"But we don't talk to them, do we?" said Ginny quietly.
"It's not like we have a reason to!"
Fred looked up from his corner. "What about the time mum's cousin Paul invited us to his son's Christening?"
"What about it?" demanded Ron.
"We didn't go," said George.
"That's because he's an ACCOUNTANT!" sighed Ron.
"So?" said Hermione. "My uncle is an accountant."
"This is different!"
"How?" said Tonks. "How is disliking Slytherins any different from disliking Muggles?"
"You just don't get it!" shouted Ron and he stormed out of the room.
***
"It's useless," sighed Hermione, "but it's the best plan we have."
"There's not enough of us," said Harry. "Seven."
"Oh, there'll be others," said Ginny dreamily.
"Really?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Of course," said Ginny. "Luna will want to go, and I know Ernie Macmillan will be interested because he's just broken it off with Susan."
"Yes," said Hermione, "and Hannah Abbot is going out with Stewart Ackerley, so she's definitely in."
"And the Creeveys will follow #you# anywhere, Harry," laughed Fred.
"Most of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, too, I'd say," commented George.
"We only want those who are totally willing," Harry reminded them.
Everyone reflected for a moment. "Bill and Charlie, certainly," said Tonks, "and probably some of the more junior members of the Order."
"Are we even sure where we're going?" said Neville.
"Azkaban." Hermione's word hung heavily in the air, like a floating drop of lead.
"It's definitely-"
"Yes, Neville. Definitely."
There was another heavy silence.
"I suppose we'd all better go to bed," said Harry. "We can plan it all in the morning."
Everyone muttered in agreement. As they said their goodnights and were getting up to leave the room, the door swung open. It was Ron.
"Everyone needs to get out!" he said desperately.
"What?"
"Death Eaters - they're here - they-"
"How can there be Death Eaters here?" scoffed Ginny. "It's protected!"
"Not any more." Ron was deadly serious. "There must be a spy."
"Where are the Death Eaters?" said Tonks.
"Outside. They can't see the house, but they've put a Non- Apparition jinx on the entire square! We're stuck!"
Neville was completely reassured. "Dumbledore will sort it out."
Someone downstairs screamed. "MY CHILDREN HAVE COME HOME AT LAST!" screeched Mrs Black. "THEY WILL PURGE THIS PLACE OF THE SCUM THAT INFEST IT! YES! THEY HAVE FINALLY COME FOR ME!"
---------------------
That chapter sucked, but it's going somewhere...
Chapter Six: Deciding
::::::-------------
"All right then, Hermione, Miss-Let's-Save-the-World," sneered Ron, "What do you propose we do?"
Hermione was silent for a moment. "We gather up Dumbledore's Army and..."
"And what?" snapped Ron. "Take on You-Know-Who by ourselves?"
"If that's the plan," said Neville quietly. "I'm in."
"Don't be thick, Neville, it's a stupid plan," said Ginny savagely.
"I don't hear YOU coming up with anything better!" said Hermione heatedly.
"Enough!" said Tonks.
"I wonder who the spy is," Neville mused.
"It's a Slytherin obviously," said Ron automatically.
"What makes you so sure?" said Tonks.
"Well, it's definitely not a Gryffindor, is it?"
"Says who?" Tonks had her hands on her hips. "I was a Hufflepuff, but that doesn't make me a suspect!"
"Ravenclaw or Slytherin, then," conceded Ron.
Tonks gave an exasperated sigh. "You applying to be an Auror?"
"No."
"Good. You've entirely the wrong frame of mind for it. Too bigoted."
"Bigoted!" shouted Ron. "What are you on about? I don't go around killing Muggles or anything!"
"But we don't talk to them, do we?" said Ginny quietly.
"It's not like we have a reason to!"
Fred looked up from his corner. "What about the time mum's cousin Paul invited us to his son's Christening?"
"What about it?" demanded Ron.
"We didn't go," said George.
"That's because he's an ACCOUNTANT!" sighed Ron.
"So?" said Hermione. "My uncle is an accountant."
"This is different!"
"How?" said Tonks. "How is disliking Slytherins any different from disliking Muggles?"
"You just don't get it!" shouted Ron and he stormed out of the room.
***
"It's useless," sighed Hermione, "but it's the best plan we have."
"There's not enough of us," said Harry. "Seven."
"Oh, there'll be others," said Ginny dreamily.
"Really?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Of course," said Ginny. "Luna will want to go, and I know Ernie Macmillan will be interested because he's just broken it off with Susan."
"Yes," said Hermione, "and Hannah Abbot is going out with Stewart Ackerley, so she's definitely in."
"And the Creeveys will follow #you# anywhere, Harry," laughed Fred.
"Most of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, too, I'd say," commented George.
"We only want those who are totally willing," Harry reminded them.
Everyone reflected for a moment. "Bill and Charlie, certainly," said Tonks, "and probably some of the more junior members of the Order."
"Are we even sure where we're going?" said Neville.
"Azkaban." Hermione's word hung heavily in the air, like a floating drop of lead.
"It's definitely-"
"Yes, Neville. Definitely."
There was another heavy silence.
"I suppose we'd all better go to bed," said Harry. "We can plan it all in the morning."
Everyone muttered in agreement. As they said their goodnights and were getting up to leave the room, the door swung open. It was Ron.
"Everyone needs to get out!" he said desperately.
"What?"
"Death Eaters - they're here - they-"
"How can there be Death Eaters here?" scoffed Ginny. "It's protected!"
"Not any more." Ron was deadly serious. "There must be a spy."
"Where are the Death Eaters?" said Tonks.
"Outside. They can't see the house, but they've put a Non- Apparition jinx on the entire square! We're stuck!"
Neville was completely reassured. "Dumbledore will sort it out."
Someone downstairs screamed. "MY CHILDREN HAVE COME HOME AT LAST!" screeched Mrs Black. "THEY WILL PURGE THIS PLACE OF THE SCUM THAT INFEST IT! YES! THEY HAVE FINALLY COME FOR ME!"
---------------------
That chapter sucked, but it's going somewhere...