Chapter 36 - They never said this would be easy and Family
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Dinner with the Weasley family was unusually quiet. While before, there would be arguments, giggles and pranks, now everyone sat stoically in the place assigned by Molly Weasley and occasionally would say something like, 'Pass the peas, please'. It was so unnerving that Harry had to purposefully force himself not to study them individually and concentrate very hard on not shifting in his seat uncomfortably.
There was even a moment when he and Hermione had shared a look, almost as if they were the only ones who had realized the difference.
Harry couldn't also help but notice the small looks that Hermione kept throwing at him whenever she thought he wasn't looking. And he was pretty positive that the only reason she suddenly found him all that interesting was because Ginny just happened to sit right beside him. There had been a moment when Ginny's elbow had knocked against his, and there was a string of embarrassed apologies before they fell into silence. Ever since that mistaken occurrence, Hermione would glance at them quickly before looking away.
"So, Harry. Any plans for Grimmauld Place?"
Harry jerked is head up, noticing that he had been staring at Hermione only when he had to refocus his attention on all those around him. "Um...plans?"
Arthur Weasley swallowed his food to re-iterate. "Yes, plans. I'm sure you're not planning on letting Grimmauld Place stay in the same condition it's in. I've always found it too grim."
Harry dropped his gaze to the untouched food on his plate. "Er..."
"I remember a lot of rooms. Have you thought about how you're going to use them?"
Harry's gaze happened to fall on Ron, who shrugged, almost as if he was telling him to humour his father.
"I'm sure Harry will think of something, Dad," Ginny mumbled distractedly, her own fork and knife practically playing with the food on her plate. Harry would have smiled gratefully had she looked up at him.
"Hm..." Arthur continued thoughtfully, "I remember the funniest wizarding items around there. Do you suppose the Black family was into experimentation?"
Ron's snort effectively took the attention from Harry to his best mate. "What?" Ron asked with his mouth full of sausage before he swallowed it whole. "They were Death Eaters. I highly doubt they weren't into any sort of experimentation."
Harry couldn't help but join everyone else around their table as they stared at Ron is disbelief. His gaze then fell on Mrs Weasley who had been unusually quiet, and even now simply concentrated on slicing pieces of chicken rather than participating in the awkward conversation they were all reluctantly having.
A knock at the window was exactly what they needed, and the startled expression that was on everyones' faces was a cause to worry. Cautiously, Arthur stood up to open the window that Pig had a habit of always crashing into. This time, however, a falcon regally stepped forward before sticking out its leg while balancing perfectly on the other. Harry quickly glanced at Molly who seemed frozen in fear.
Looking at the sealed parchment, Arthur's brows knotted in confusion before he looked up. "It's for you, Harry."
Harry took the rolled piece of parchment from the older Weasley's hand, knowing that everyone was eyeing him with barely hidden curiosity. Breaking the seal, he unrolled the piece of paper and scanned the official document quickly, feeling grateful that no matter how much the Weasleys wanted to know what was in there, they didn't clamour on top of him to read the note themselves; they respected him too much.
"What does it say?" Ron asked cautiously.
"Kingsley wants to meet me tomorrow."
"Kingsley?" George piped in. "Why?"
"Dunno," Harry said with a shrug before he turned to face Arthur. "Can I borrow a quill?"
"Yes. Of course." With a flourish, Arthur picked up a quill and handed it to Harry, passing the ink bottle a moment later.
Keeping his head low, Harry jotted down a quick reply before making his way to the falcon that stood calmly on the windowsill. He tied the note to the bird's leg, and stepped back quickly when he saw the way the brown, beady eyes watched him.
The falcon turned on the spot, spread its wings, and took to flight, leaving Harry to smile sheepishly at everyone else before he took his seat and started paying serious attention to his food. When it was obvious that he wasn't going to talk about it, conversation slowly started up once again around the dinner table.
Harry found himself sneaking a look at the Muggle clock that Arthur had salvaged from one of his raids.
Two hours more, he thought to himself before he resigned to concentrate on what Percy was saying.
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TBC