The weather was dreadful all through the holidays, even the occasional thunderstorm which Mia watched through one of the upper windows of the burrow. She'd always loved the rain, and had even go so far as to run out and play in it at every opportunity when she was younger. But that pull just wasn't there anymore. Since coming to the burrow her auto pilot seemed to have stopped, and the brunette had become more involved with the family and even started to pay attention when Ginny spoke about Harry. The little redhead had been hysterical at first, assuming her imaginary lover had been terribly injured and on the brink of death, and had only recently begun to calm down.

"The showers free" Mia said as she heard Ginny approaching towards the window. It was always easy to tell when it was the youngest Weasley walking up the stairs, her footsteps quieter and lighter than anyone elses.

"I'll have one later, just before we go" Mia shrugged in response, still looking out the window. Her hair had been changed due to Ginny's influence over the holiday, the natural curls being straightened out with a simple spell and a choppy fringe getting put in mainly for the sake of her to try and hide behind. The twins had appeared under the window, and caught her attention by running along the long grass. One was possibly chasing the other, but she couldn't be sure. They were zigzagging backwards and forwards, the one in front doing a dive through the grass, or maybe he'd just tripped because he scrambled up and continued to run pretty quickly. Then again, they could just be trying to get hit by lightning.

Before Mia could shout anything out to them, both boys were suddenly stood next to her, dripping rain water all over the carpet. The Slytherin jumped, still not used to their ability to apparate.

"You know, just because you're both seventeen now it isn't mandatory for you to use magic at every opportunity" They merely grinned. Luckily Ginny picked the five seconds before their appearance to leave the room already, so hadn't noticed the puddle forming under the twins feet. Mia had. "I'm not sure who'll kill you for that first," she pondered nonchalantly "Your sister won't be pleased, but your mother will be furious" That momentarily wiped the grins off their faces.

"We can fix it!" Fred declared, pointing his wand at the puddle. He didn't believe for one second that it would really work, the spell he was thinking of using wasn't exactly one he knew well and wasn't even sure it was right. Which was precisely why instead of the water disappearing, the puddle began to grow in size. Soon the whole bedroom floor was covered with a thin layer of shimmering liquid.

"Oh yeah, great job at fixing it" The younger teenager said dryly, noting that converse really weren't to be considered water proof.

"I never was very good at that spell" said Fred sheepishly. George nodded in agreement which earned him an elbow to the ribs.

"Well, it was nice knowing you" Mia said, grinning as she tried to leap over most of the water and left the room.

ZNZNZN

Grimmauld place wasn't exactly a mansion, but it sure as hell wasn't small. The Weasleys and Mia were the first to arrive that evening, each being given separate rooms and told to stay put. Hermione arrived next and immediately went to talk with Ron, then several aurors who crowded into the kitchen, and finally Harry Potter. Mia watched all of this undisturbed from her place at the top of the highest staircase, legs dangling through the wooden bars. She couldn't quite hear what was being said, but could take a guess it involved Harry's recent expulsion.

Without warning the twins were on either side of her,

"If you ask nicely, we'll give you a way to listen in" Fred said, holding out his hand to help her up.

"What makes you think i'm that interested?" Both boys shrugged, she took the offered hand regardless.

Harry Ron and Hermione were stood at the staircase below, causing Mia to raise an eyebrow. She hadn't seen all of the twins inventions, but one used for eavesdropping was bound to go awry. The thought was backed up when George appeared to pull an ear from his pocket and slowly lower it over the banister. Another ear was attached to the other end which actually worked as, well, an ear and transmitted the voices up. It was stil slightly hard to hear clearly though.

"Snape's part of the order?" Harry asked in a hushed tone when the voice became audible. Ginny picked that moment to join them from her room, wedging herself between Mia and Fred, and smiling widely at Harry who didn't even notice. It was also that moment that Hermione's cat decided the extendible ear looked like a toy and began trying to bite and scratch it from beside the door. No amount of calling by its owner or even the shoe thrown by a twin would stop it and within seconds the cat had stalked off with the now broken ear.

George sighed, "Hermione I hate your cat." Mia barely managed to contain the bubble of laughter rising in her throat.

They all waited for ten minutes at the top of the stairs, the trio talking quietly whilst Fred pulled faces at Mia and George mourned the broken ear, but finally the kitchen door opened.

"We'll be eating down here in a short while" Mrs Weasley called up, smiling as Ginny walked past, the brunette in toe. The scream of frustration she gave made both girls stop and look over their shoulders. Of course it was due to the twins. "Just because you're old enough to use magic doesn't mean you have to whip your wands out at every opportunity!" She scolded, repeating Mia's earlier words. The girls shook their heads and went into the kitchen, ignoring the twins as they picked up George's shoe in the doorway and moved it under the table.

Mia sat with Ginny on one side, Tonks on the other, both laughing as her sister transformed her nose into a snout and then a beak. It had been a party trick she'd done ever since Mia could remember, though her eye then caught George who was starring angrily at Crookshanks and muttering 'Hate you' under his breath.

"You do realise that's a cat? It can't understand you"

"Let him have someone to blame" Fred added in, leaning across the table towards the Slytherin to grab the half full coffee pot.

"I could've just passed you that if you'd asked?" She suggested, sitting further back in the chair as hot coffee got spilt onto the table.

"Ah, but then I wouldn't of had an excuse to get so close" She had to give him that. At least it was vaguely inventive. In fact, she was pretty sure he didn't even drink coffee. All the small talk faded away rather quickly when Harry began asking questions about the ministry though, every teenager around the table too intrigued in what they might learn.

"They've been attacking Dumbledore as well" said Mr. Weasley as Harry was handed the daily prophet. Mia had already read the issue, but hadn't thought much of 'the boy who lies' headline.

"Fudge is using all his power, including all his influence at the daily prophet to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned" Continued Sirius, pausing for Harry to take in the article.

"The minister thinks Dumbledore wants his job." Added in Mr. Weasley, getting cut off by Harry,

"But that's insane! No one in their right mind could believe that" Several heads around the table all nodded in unison.

"But that's exactly the point! Fudge isn't in his right mind, it's been twisted and warped by fear." Remus paused sighing, "Now fear makes people do terrible things Harry. The last time Voldemort gained power it nearly destroyed everything we hold dear. And now that he's returned I'll bet the minister will do almost anything than to face the most terrifying truth."

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army" all heads turned to Sirius again, "Fourteen years ago he had huge numbers. Not just witches or wizards, but all manor of dark creatures, he's been recruiting again. And whilst we've been attempting to do the same, gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in." Sirius coughed "We believe Voldemort might be after something"

"Sirius" Moody warned as Mia reached out to clasp Ginny's hand for support. The red head cast her a quizzical look which was ignored.

"Something he didn't have last time"

"You mean like a weapon?" Harry asked. The Slytherin gulped, squeezing tighter to Ginny's hand. She couldn't be used as a weapon, right? No, of course not, that was a ludicrous thought and one that should be pushed to the back of her mind right this instant. But it wasn't. Sirius opened his mouth to answer, and she found she'd begun to hold her breath, waiting, anticipating.

"No! That's enough." Mrs Weasley scolded, stepping in and placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. Mia had to let out the breath for fear of turning blue, which drew a glance from Fred. "He's just a boy" Mrs Weasley continued, "You say much more and you might as well induct him into the other straight away!"

"Good! I want to join. If Voldemorts recruiting an army then I want to fight!" The heads nodded again. Unfortunately that was the end of the conversation and everyone that was still of school age got sent up to their rooms without another word.

A/N: Okie dokie. Yeah, sorry this has taken so long to get up a new chapter, there's been a lot going on and I just haven't had the inspiration or urge to right I guess. But here's the next chapter, and i'm working on the next one, so hopefully there wont be such a big gap. Thanks for keeping up with the story, and feel free to leave a review Z-Nugget xx