Chapter 28 – Mr Weasley's Auror Reports
Harry felt himself spinning, faster and faster, the world a blurred mess swirling around him in a vortex of colour, before finally he felt himself slow down and fall forward. Putting a foot out and staggering forward, he someone how manage to stay on his feet, but no sooner had he stood up straight, Mrs Weasley had strode forward and pulled him into a hug.
"Harry!" She cried loudly, "how are you?"
"I'm fine thank you Mrs Weasley," Harry said quickly, extracting himself from her tight embrace and looking round. Ron and Ginny were settling down into seats, smiling slightly at their mothers over fussing of Harry. But his eyes were drawn to the slightly gaunt figure who was striding up to shake Harry's hand.
"Hi Remus," said Harry happily, greeting his former Professor enthusiastically, shaking his hand.
"Harry," Remus acknowledged, "I take it your exams went well?" He was smiling wryly, and Harry could tell that several of the teachers had been discussing his new talents. He had no doubt that it had been Dumbledore who had passed on the information. He smiled and blushed slightly, very glad that Hermione wasn't there to have a go at him. He caught Ron's eye, and Ron hastily turned his laugh into a cough into his sleeve. Before Remus could ask, the doorbell rang.
"That'll be Arthur and the twins!" said Mrs Weasley happily, and she bustled off to get the door. She returned a moment later, followed by Fred, George and Mr Weasley. He looked a lot better then he had done, his formerly shabby robes made of a much finer material, and Harry was glad to see that he was being paid well for his new job as Minister for Magic.
Then it struck Harry how much Ron had changed over the year, and he realised then what it must have been down to. Since his father had got his new job, he had not once had to complain about being poor. This had meant that he had generally been happier and, as Harry had now realised, he had been far more tactful this year than any of the previous ones. His treatment of Hermione, (particularly at the times of Tonks' death and also the Quidditch tryouts), had been far more intelligent, often comforting her, and Harry was suddenly not surprised that they had started going out this year. But his thoughts were interrupted as Fred and George greeted him jovially, followed by Mr Weasley, and he had to redirect his thoughts.
That day, and the evening that followed it, was altogether a very enjoyable affair. It was great being back with everybody, particularly the twins, whose instant humour Harry had missed slightly at Hogwarts. They stayed up late into the night talking about all the "good old days," with Remus also making Fred and George laugh with several stories about Sirius. Harry surprised himself by not feeling a maddening feeling of grief in his stomach, and as he recognised that he had finally grieved enough for Sirius, he gave Remus a warm smile. Remus seemed to understand and smiled back.
The following morning, Harry woke early, and he walked downstairs to the main room. Fred and George were the only ones there, both looking exceedingly pleased with themselves.
"What are you two looking so chuffed about?" Harry asked sleepily.
George looked up at him gleefully, and checked no one else was there. "Ludo Bagman paid up!"
"He sent us the gold this morning! And we thought he was all bad...." Fred trailed off, looking upwards at Harry happily.
"Really?" Harry said, jerked out of sleepiness instantly.
"April Fool!" They both said together, and they roared with laughter. Harry looked at them totally nonplussed, but he couldn't help grinning at the two's obvious amusement.
"Very funny," he said in mock-anger, "maybe so funny that I should tell your mum about Ludo..." Harry trailed off, trying to keep his face straight to see if they would take him seriously. "Yeah, I think I will now..." He turned and started to leave the room, a broad smirk on his face, before he heard a clattering of chairs and felt two hands on his shoulders, whipping him around. George pinned him against the wall.
"You wouldn't..." he said angrily, his face contorted with rage. Harry tried to suppress the laughter, but failed. He shrank back against the wall, holding his stomach, laughing until his sides hurt.
"Your faces!" He said breathlessly, wiping away small tears of mirth that caused Fred and George to laugh also, and the three of them staggered back to the table to have breakfast.
"You're evil, Harry," was all Fred would say about it, but Harry was sure he could see a glint of pride in Harry's trick, that convinced Harry that Fred thought he had taught Harry how to trick people. In all fairness, Harry decided, that was at least partially true.
He turned as he heard Remus, Arthur and Molly walk into the room, followed swiftly by Kingsley Shacklebolt, Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore. They all acknowledged Harry, but each had a serious expression on their face, as they settled down at the table.
"Close the door please Harry," Molly said, putting the kettle on in the corner of the room, "neither Ron nor Ginny are in the Order." Harry did as he was told, before settling down at the end of the table. Mr Weasley sat at the far end, and started speaking first. Harry soon noticed Mrs Weasley had set a quick quotes quill to write down what was being said.
"Well I've got some pretty important news," Mr Weasley started, "or rather, Kingsley does." Mr Weasley nodded at Kingsley.
"Thank you Minister," Kingsley began, and Mr Weasley rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly all the same. "I have received intelligence at the Auror department on the size of You-Know-Who's army. We are currently under the impression that they have approximately thirty Death Eaters, less than a hundred Dementors and a few Goblins. This is less then was previously expected but it was a reliable report, though the informant has since been killed so we cannot question further."
Harry was stunned, those numbers were far less than he had expected, especially due to his premonition. True, he had not seen any Goblins, but there had been many giants, hundreds of Dementors and a cheering army of Death Eaters that was at least double what Kingsley had said.
Harry's eyes shot up to meet Snape, who was looking at him furiously, shooting him an obvious warning glance. Harry, against his better judgement, kept quiet, although he still could not fathom what Snape was up to, if anything. But his suspicions were deeply set.
The meeting carried on, with many names passing across the circle that Harry did not recognise, until suddenly Bill appeared out of the fireplace. Everyone whipped around to greet him but before they could say anything, he put up a hand for silence.
"Karkaroff is dead," he said simply. He looked out of breath as if he had run to give them the news. Snape reacted first.
"How?" he said very quickly, "when?" Harry was surprised at the speed of the reaction, and he wasn't sure that Snape hadn't known this before the meeting.
"He was found last night, he had been killed by the Avada Kedavra curse, although we have no idea who did it." Bill sighed. "His body was found in South Wiltshire."
"Near the Malfoy's," Snape said. Harry's eyes shot up again, and he knew then that Snape was hiding more than he was letting on. The meeting soon finished and Harry raced to tell Ron what had happened.
Harry felt himself spinning, faster and faster, the world a blurred mess swirling around him in a vortex of colour, before finally he felt himself slow down and fall forward. Putting a foot out and staggering forward, he someone how manage to stay on his feet, but no sooner had he stood up straight, Mrs Weasley had strode forward and pulled him into a hug.
"Harry!" She cried loudly, "how are you?"
"I'm fine thank you Mrs Weasley," Harry said quickly, extracting himself from her tight embrace and looking round. Ron and Ginny were settling down into seats, smiling slightly at their mothers over fussing of Harry. But his eyes were drawn to the slightly gaunt figure who was striding up to shake Harry's hand.
"Hi Remus," said Harry happily, greeting his former Professor enthusiastically, shaking his hand.
"Harry," Remus acknowledged, "I take it your exams went well?" He was smiling wryly, and Harry could tell that several of the teachers had been discussing his new talents. He had no doubt that it had been Dumbledore who had passed on the information. He smiled and blushed slightly, very glad that Hermione wasn't there to have a go at him. He caught Ron's eye, and Ron hastily turned his laugh into a cough into his sleeve. Before Remus could ask, the doorbell rang.
"That'll be Arthur and the twins!" said Mrs Weasley happily, and she bustled off to get the door. She returned a moment later, followed by Fred, George and Mr Weasley. He looked a lot better then he had done, his formerly shabby robes made of a much finer material, and Harry was glad to see that he was being paid well for his new job as Minister for Magic.
Then it struck Harry how much Ron had changed over the year, and he realised then what it must have been down to. Since his father had got his new job, he had not once had to complain about being poor. This had meant that he had generally been happier and, as Harry had now realised, he had been far more tactful this year than any of the previous ones. His treatment of Hermione, (particularly at the times of Tonks' death and also the Quidditch tryouts), had been far more intelligent, often comforting her, and Harry was suddenly not surprised that they had started going out this year. But his thoughts were interrupted as Fred and George greeted him jovially, followed by Mr Weasley, and he had to redirect his thoughts.
That day, and the evening that followed it, was altogether a very enjoyable affair. It was great being back with everybody, particularly the twins, whose instant humour Harry had missed slightly at Hogwarts. They stayed up late into the night talking about all the "good old days," with Remus also making Fred and George laugh with several stories about Sirius. Harry surprised himself by not feeling a maddening feeling of grief in his stomach, and as he recognised that he had finally grieved enough for Sirius, he gave Remus a warm smile. Remus seemed to understand and smiled back.
The following morning, Harry woke early, and he walked downstairs to the main room. Fred and George were the only ones there, both looking exceedingly pleased with themselves.
"What are you two looking so chuffed about?" Harry asked sleepily.
George looked up at him gleefully, and checked no one else was there. "Ludo Bagman paid up!"
"He sent us the gold this morning! And we thought he was all bad...." Fred trailed off, looking upwards at Harry happily.
"Really?" Harry said, jerked out of sleepiness instantly.
"April Fool!" They both said together, and they roared with laughter. Harry looked at them totally nonplussed, but he couldn't help grinning at the two's obvious amusement.
"Very funny," he said in mock-anger, "maybe so funny that I should tell your mum about Ludo..." Harry trailed off, trying to keep his face straight to see if they would take him seriously. "Yeah, I think I will now..." He turned and started to leave the room, a broad smirk on his face, before he heard a clattering of chairs and felt two hands on his shoulders, whipping him around. George pinned him against the wall.
"You wouldn't..." he said angrily, his face contorted with rage. Harry tried to suppress the laughter, but failed. He shrank back against the wall, holding his stomach, laughing until his sides hurt.
"Your faces!" He said breathlessly, wiping away small tears of mirth that caused Fred and George to laugh also, and the three of them staggered back to the table to have breakfast.
"You're evil, Harry," was all Fred would say about it, but Harry was sure he could see a glint of pride in Harry's trick, that convinced Harry that Fred thought he had taught Harry how to trick people. In all fairness, Harry decided, that was at least partially true.
He turned as he heard Remus, Arthur and Molly walk into the room, followed swiftly by Kingsley Shacklebolt, Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore. They all acknowledged Harry, but each had a serious expression on their face, as they settled down at the table.
"Close the door please Harry," Molly said, putting the kettle on in the corner of the room, "neither Ron nor Ginny are in the Order." Harry did as he was told, before settling down at the end of the table. Mr Weasley sat at the far end, and started speaking first. Harry soon noticed Mrs Weasley had set a quick quotes quill to write down what was being said.
"Well I've got some pretty important news," Mr Weasley started, "or rather, Kingsley does." Mr Weasley nodded at Kingsley.
"Thank you Minister," Kingsley began, and Mr Weasley rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly all the same. "I have received intelligence at the Auror department on the size of You-Know-Who's army. We are currently under the impression that they have approximately thirty Death Eaters, less than a hundred Dementors and a few Goblins. This is less then was previously expected but it was a reliable report, though the informant has since been killed so we cannot question further."
Harry was stunned, those numbers were far less than he had expected, especially due to his premonition. True, he had not seen any Goblins, but there had been many giants, hundreds of Dementors and a cheering army of Death Eaters that was at least double what Kingsley had said.
Harry's eyes shot up to meet Snape, who was looking at him furiously, shooting him an obvious warning glance. Harry, against his better judgement, kept quiet, although he still could not fathom what Snape was up to, if anything. But his suspicions were deeply set.
The meeting carried on, with many names passing across the circle that Harry did not recognise, until suddenly Bill appeared out of the fireplace. Everyone whipped around to greet him but before they could say anything, he put up a hand for silence.
"Karkaroff is dead," he said simply. He looked out of breath as if he had run to give them the news. Snape reacted first.
"How?" he said very quickly, "when?" Harry was surprised at the speed of the reaction, and he wasn't sure that Snape hadn't known this before the meeting.
"He was found last night, he had been killed by the Avada Kedavra curse, although we have no idea who did it." Bill sighed. "His body was found in South Wiltshire."
"Near the Malfoy's," Snape said. Harry's eyes shot up again, and he knew then that Snape was hiding more than he was letting on. The meeting soon finished and Harry raced to tell Ron what had happened.
