Chapter two :
Just as he finished packing, Harry jumped in surprise as he heard the door open and people walk inside the Dersley's. He was so deep in his thoughts that he had almost forgotten about Lupin's letter. He walked out of his bedroom and looked at the members of the Order. Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye wheeled around in it's orbit and rested on Harry. He also recognized other members ; Tonks, Kingsley Moody and Hestia Jones were beaming at him, while others stood just outside the door. Harry wondered why they were there, but he didn't bother asking.
'Where's Lupin?' He asked instead, as he reached the kitchen.
'Couldn't make it.' Moody growled, 'Something about business.'
'Oh…' Harry replied, looking rather dissapointed.
There was a long pause in which the only noise was the toaster going on and off with an irritating buzz by Hestia Jones.
'Well, we best start getting ready, then.' Moody interrupted.
'I'll get my things.' Said Harry, heading back upstairs to his bedroom. But just as he reached his door, his trunk and Hedwig's cage zoomed passed him, causing him to lose balance and almost fall backwards. 'Got it!' Said Tonks as they landed softy in front of her before she grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Harry thanked her and rushed in his bedroom to get his broomstick he had wished to hold again for so long. He went back into the kitchen and was surprised to see that none of the Order members carried bromsticks.
'How are we going to get to Grimmauld place?' he asked, blinking.
'Floo Powder.' Replied Kingsley Shacklebolt, taking a tiny sack full of ashes out of the front pocket of his over-coat. 'It should be safe with a simple Illusion Charm.'
Moody lightly tapped the tip of his wand on top of Harry's head and he had the strange sensation that someone had dunked a bucket full of water on top of him, with the water streaming down his skin. Sighing, Harry clutched his broomstick and waited as a few members of the Order regrouped around the Dursley's fireplace. He didn't want to go to Grimmauld place at all. The memories of his Godfather would keep haunting his thoughts, and he had no intention of seeing Dumbledore. He was the last person Harry wanted to see at Grimmauld place.
When it was his turn to go into the Fireplace, Harry picked up a handfull of ashes from Kingsley's pouch and shouted very clearly, 'Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!' and he immediately remembered the sickening sensation of spinning around on a wheelchair. Harry saw the members of the Order staring at him, before everything around him began to spin in place, like someone was mixing paint together with a paintbrush in a cup of water.
For a split of a second, Harry felt as though he was about to vomit. But before he could, he had landed in the fireplace of Grimmauld Place, and prayed that he wouldn't vomit all over Sirius' carpet, in front of half the members of the Order. He took a deep breath, and stepped out of the fireplace. Ron and Hermione were waiting for him just outside, beaming at him. With a loud crack, Fred and Goerge apparated just behind Ron, grinning and waving at him.
'Hello there, mate.' Fred said, giving him a hand out of the fireplace that was now filled with fainting green smoke because of the Floo Powder.
Harry nodded, afraid he'd vomit if he would open his mouth. It has been quite a long time since he traveled through Floo Powder, and he was sure his stomach would be stronger the next time he'd travel through it. But apparently, he was wrong. Taking another breath of air, he straightened up and grinned back at Fred.
'Thanks.' He said, before looking around the room as thoughhoping to see Sirius running down the hall to greet him. There was an awkward silence, and another puff of green smoke was released as Tonks stepped out of the fireplace, followed by Moody, about 5 or 6 other members and finaly, Kingsley.
Mrs. Weasley cheerfully greeted them, and Harry last. She gave him a tightening hug (Harry wondered if weither he'd blow up) and then hurried them to the kitchen. Harry noticed that the house was much… grimmer than it had been the last time he visited Grimmauld place. Possibly because Sirius didn't show up when he turned his head to a corner, looking for him. Harry was desperate to see Sirius. He wanted to tell him everything that happened after he had fallen through the veil.
'It's been real quiet in here.' Said Mrs. Weasley, as they walked down the dark hall and into the kitchen, where Harry saw Mundungus and Lupin having a very serious discussion.
Just as Tonks entered the kitchen, she stared at one of the empty chairs around the table, then stuffed her head in her hands, sobbing. Mrs. Weasley exchanged looks with Lupin, then hurried to Tonks to comfort her.
Harry watched, his back leaned against the rusty wall. He didn't think anyone else cared about Sirius' fall as much as him.
'Come on, I gotta show you something.' Said Ron, snatching Harry by the elbow and pulling him towards the staircase, which led to the bedrooms. Ron led him to their own bedroom, while Hermione followed behind, rolling her eyes as he arms folded in front of her chest. Ron opened the door, then rushed over to his owl's cage, where Piguidgeon flapped his wings excidedly between the wooden bars.
'Look what Pig can to!' Ron said, looking as excited as his owl as he carefully opened the cage's door and took out the bird. Ron took out a few seeds from his pocket, placed Pigwidgeon on his bed, then showed them to the bird.
'Look.' Ron repeated, as Harry watched, scarcely interested. Ron raised his hand up, the seeds still in his palm, then the bird jumped up and suddenly puffed up like a balloon. He began floating, which made Harry remember that time when the same happened to his aunt Marge.
The bird continued to float, then when Ron opened his palm, Pigwidgeon deflated, landed into it and began pecking at the seeds.
'Er… That's great, Ron.' Harry said, trying to sound amazed.
'Fred and Goerge found out this morning.' Ron said proudly.
'Cool.' Said Harry, giving him the thumbs up.
'It's absurd!' snapped Hermione, who had also been watching, 'Don't be cruel to your pets, Ronald!'
'I'm not! He's doing it himself.' Said Ron.
'You're making him do it.' Said Hermione, glaring.
Harry watched the two, made his way out the door as they continued arguing. He knew it was pointless to try and stop them.
When he shut the door behind him quietly, Harry sighed and stepped out of the staircase and back into the kitchen, where he saw Tonks still sobbing her eyes out over God knows what. Lupin and Mr.Weasley had joined Mrs. Weasley trying to comfort her and try to calm her down by sitting her at one of the chairs around the table. But she refused and ran off into the hallway decorated with house-elf heads.
'What's wrong?' Harry asked Lupin, who was heading to the hallway to see Tonks.
'She says she keeps seeing Sirius at the table. Then she just burst into tears.' Lupin explained, hastily.
'Poor girl' Said Mrs. Weasley, looking worried as she patted Tonk's back lightly. 'Oh, Harry dear, I've already baught your school things. I put thetm up in your room.
'Thanks.' Said Harry, glancing over at the table to see if Sirius really was there. Perhaps she saw his ghost? Harry shook his head. That's not possibe, he thought, deciding to go back upstairs and into his room.
When he entered, it was rather silent, meaning Ron and Hermione had stopped arguing. Harry saw Hermione stomping down the stairs as he passe her, and he saw a furious look on her face. He paused for a moment, debating with himself weither or not he should talk to her, but merely shrugged and continued on his way to his and Ron's bedroom.
