Chapter 53: Go Shorty It's your birthday, we gonna have a meeting coz it's your birthday

My birthday was fast approaching and so is another Order meeting. Dad already planned to obtain a few hairs of some family members so that the other Order members could come disguised as them. As many of my relatives are in the mansion, Viktor and I could hardly get any more privacy than we used to.

"So, who is Great Uncle Scipio again?" Ianthé laughed as Edmond recalled the disguised Order member.

"Mad-Eye Moody! Uncle Scipio was furious! The two apparently had spats back when they were still young men."

Viktor laughed with them.

"So how are the twins?"

"Thriving. Did you know that they already demonstrated accidental magic!"

Ianthé rolled her eyes, "Thousands of times, Eddie…"

"Hey, I'm a proud papa!"

"How's Andy?"

"She's fine. I didn't know she would be quite skillful in being a mother to two wonderful children!"

"Horrible demons, you might add!" Uncle Alfonse entered the ballroom, "I don't know where they get that from!"

"The blowing raspberries at you? Come on, Uncle, they must have really liked their grandpa!"

"Angels on the outside and pure demonic creatures on the inside!" Uncle Alfonse shook his head laughing.

"Father, they're just precocious at that age!"

"Precocious my foot!" Uncle Alfonse blurted out.

The three laughed at Uncle Alfonse as the guests were trickling into the ballroom.

"Great, Order meeting disguised as my coming-of-age birthday party…" Ianthé muttered.

Viktor squeezed her hand and smiled.

"What are the recent developments? Lupin?"

Remus Lupin stood up, beside him was a pink-haired woman who was beaming at him.

"I managed to convince a few werewolves to our cause. Most of them are newly-bitten and are still not brainwashed by Greyback. I heard rumors of Greyback planning to make child werewolves…"

Ianthé winced.

"Any news regarding the Dark Lord?"

Tarquinus stood up, "There was an internal turmoil among the ranks. Some Death Eaters fight because of the constant power struggle within their groups. There is a spy in the Ministry. Another Death Eater, they addressed him as Wormtail, is with Snape at the moment. The Dark lord was apparently angry when he found out Wormtail had a life debt to Harry Potter."

Remus Lupin tensed up at the name of Wormtail.

"Who's this Wormtail fellow?" Uncle Alfonse asked.

"His name is Peter Pettigrew…" Remus said. His voice was a little shaky.

"I thought that bloke was dead!" Ianthé mentioned.

"He can transform into a rat. He was one of my closest friends together with James Potter and Sirius Black. He was the Secret Keeper of Godric's Hollow."

"So, he got the Potters killed, because? I mean, you said he was your friend."

"We didn't know that he was already a spy for Voldemort. Sirius convinced James that it would be a perfect ruse if Peter was the Secret Keeper instead of him."

"So how did he gain a life debt to Harry?"

"During my teaching stint, Harry found out the truth from me and Sirius. Sirius and I were already prepared to kill Wormtail but Harry stopped us. He told us that Wormtail deserved Azkaban and not just an easy death."

"That shows moral fiber in that boy…" Great Uncle Scipio commented.

"This makes history. Scipio making a compliment… Have you gone senile, my old man?" Mad-Eye Moody muttered sarcastically.

"Indeed. How is the Herze family's standing in You-Know-Who's circle?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Tarquinus spoke again, "He was convinced that the family is in it for the gold. As a Slytherin, he understood that and he is convinced that we will eventually use our wealth to finance their operation if they succeeded."

Alexander Herze released a chuckle, "That is if they succeeded. He's really a delusional megalomaniac. Any other news? What about Hogwarts?"

Professor McGonagall stood up, "We already strengthened the fortification spells on the castle. It is safer than ever. Bill Weasley is heading the enchantments protection of Hogwarts."

"Isn't he also part of the Order's Goblin Liaison?"

"Yes, he is," Arthur Weasley spoke up.

"With Edmond also."

Ianthé raised her eyebrows at Edmond and silently mouthed, "Goblin Liaison?"

"Hey, I speak gobbledygook!" Edmond whispered to her.

"Edmond passed the Gringotts tests for Charm Breakers, but because of this war, he let them assign him to the Gringotts branch in France," Uncle Alfonse spoke.

"What's with Charm Breakers and pretty French women?" Ianthé muttered.

Arthur Weasley heard her and smiled.

With other discussions such as the train ride from King's Cross to Hogwarts and the formations of an escape plan for the students if Hogwarts would be attacked, Ianthé listened silently and added a few inputs herself. Professor McGonagall cornered her after the meeting.

"Miss Herze, I know about your relations to Mr. Krum. I expect that would not impede with your duties as Head Girl and his as professor."

Ianthé nodded.

"My only advice is be discreet about it…" Professor McGonagall winked at her and left to join the others.

"Now that the Order meeting is done, I will ask you to remain here for a small dinner."

The room murmured in agreement.

The dinner on the ballroom was amiable. Uncle Alfonse managed Great Uncle Scipio to sit beside the former Auror Mad-Eye Moody.

"Watch them, they look like Fred and George…" Arthur whispered to Kingsley Shackelboltas they observed the two men sniffing their food for poison.

"Only paranoid versions…" Ianthé whispered to her guests.

Arthur handed her a large box, "The twins wanted me to give this to you as they couldn't come tonight."

Ianthé received the box, "Thanks, Mr. Weasley. Enjoying the food?"

Arthur Weasley nodded, "It's like a gourmet version of my wife's cooking… only on grander and more expensive scale…"

"You should have seen Ron's eyes when he saw dinner. They were ready to pop out!"
Arthur smiled, "You know my last born son… always thinking about food."

"Any news from them?"

Arthur shrugged, "Just a short letter every now and then, telling us they're safe, wherever they are…"

"They will be, Mr. Weasley," Ianthé patted the older man's shoulder and headed to her other guests.

Alexander stood up and raised his glass. The room quieted.

"To my daughter, who blossomed into a fine young lady under our noses… To Théa!"

The others raised their glasses and drank to Ianthé's nickname.

Ianthé's eyes misted as she kissed her father in the cheek.

Uncle Alfonse stood up, "To that nosy blackmailing brat that Alex doesn't know about!" He also raised his glass and drank.

The entire room laughed.

Edmond also stood up, "To my little angel, the one I called my sister since her birth, to the one who almost melted my buttocks just because I refused her to ride with me on my broom!"

The people laughed again as Ianthé blushed beet red.

The entire room became silent when Viktor stood up.

"To the charming girl who stole my heart and the woman I will love forever.."

Some wolf-whistled and all drank what was rest in their glasses.

Ianthé stood up, "As family tradition dictates, I should do a spell right now…. Expecto Patronum!"

A silvery form of a Siberian Husky came out of her wand and ran around the room. It came back to Ianthé and stopped, its tail wagging happily. It dissipated into silver vapor as the room applauded.

"I think it's time to open your gifts…" Margeaux mentioned the teetering pile on a table near the wall.