Saturday arrived, and, similar to the previous September 1st, we headed up to London in Muggle taxis. As Dad was now on the Ministry's bad books, they weren't going to lend us any Ministry cars, and our old Ford Anglia was still running wild in the Forbidden Forest. It was also decided that Demelza, Amy, and Steve would stay at the location too, as Steve was in the Order. Alexa had been offered the chance to join us, but she declined, saying that staying in a house with such a huge number of witches and wizards would make her look very out of place. Therefore, a man called Derrick Alders had been assigned to stay at their house in Ottery St Catchpole for her protection. Alexa said it would be a good opportunity to have some of her Muggle friends over, as Demelza and Steve had never been too fond of these people. She would give the excuse that Derrick was just a regular person renting a room in the house temporarily while his own house was being rebuilt. She would also tell them that Demelza and Steve had won a cruise holiday competition for the summer, which would explain their absence.

Once we entered London, we headed up to Islington, in the north of the city. We parked in a street which had lots of huge and very expensive looking houses, and met up with Hermione there. She had been told where to come, and it was much easier for her, considering the fact she lived in London. We got out of the car and dad handed us a piece of paper each, which said the following:

"The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London"

I looked around at the houses, then at Demelza, Amy, and Hermione, who were equally as confused. We were standing outside number eleven, with number 10 on the left and thirteen on the right.

"But where's-" Amy began

"Think about what you've just read" said Steve.

I did, and in addition to the shock of the paper spontaneously combusting in my hands, I gained a further one as a battered door emerged out of nowhere between numbers eleven and thirteen, followed swiftly by dirty walls and grimy windows. It was as though an extra house had inflated, pushing those on either side out of its way.

"Don't the muggles-" I began

"They won't feel a thing" said Dad "come on, let's get inside"

We walked up the worn stone steps, staring at the newly materialised door. Its black paint was shabby and scratched. The silver doorknocker was in the form of a twisted serpent. There was no keyhole or letterbox. My first thought was that this looked more like a Death Eater's house than anything else, but I didn't voice it. Dad pulled out his wand and tapped the door once. We heard many loud, metallic clicks and what sounded like the clatter of a chain. The door creaked open. Dad stepped out of the way.

"Right, everyone, get inside quickly and quietly and don't touch anything. Just wait by the stairs" he said.

I stepped over the threshold into the almost total darkness of the hall. I could smell damp, dust and a sweetish, rotting smell; the place had the feeling of a derelict building. I looked over my shoulder and saw the others filing in behind me. Amy was the last inside, and it looked like we'd all gotten through without much noise, but that all changed as she tripped over an umbrella stand that was placed in an admittedly rather stupid location next to the door. She and it crashed to the floor, and that meant that some curtains flew open on the right.

At first, I thought I was looking through a window, a window behind which an old woman in a black cap was screaming and screaming as though she were being tortured - then I realised it was simply a life-size portrait, but the most realistic, and the most unpleasant, I had ever seen in my life.

"WHO DARES ENTER THIS HOUSE, THE HOUSE OF THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT BLACK FAMILY?!" it screeched, it's eyes whizzing over all of us. "BLOOD TRAITORS, A MUDBLOOD, SCUM OF THE EARTH-"

"Silencio!" called Hermione, but it made no difference

"YOU ARE ALL DEFILING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHER'S, DISGUSTING ANIMALS, GET OUT OF HERE-"

Suddenly a man rushed past me to the portrait, and with the help of Dad, forced it shut again.

The man turned around, and we saw that it was Sirius.

"Greetings everyone" he said "I see you've met my mother"

"That was your mum?!" I said

"Yeah, a bloody lovely woman she was!" he said bitterly. "What you heard from her just now is only the tip of the iceberg. That's just a portrait. The real thing was 10 times worse! Anyway, it's great to see you all, but what are we going to do about Harry?"

"We can discuss that at another time" said a voice, and we saw that it was none other than Albus Dumbledore, who had emerged from the kitchen. "Molly, if you could show everyone underage to their rooms, then we can start the meeting"

"Yes, yes of course Albus" Mum said, "come along now you lot". She beckoned for us to follow her up the stairs. Ron, Hermione, Demelza, Amy and I did so straight away, but Fred and George headed towards the kitchen after the other adults.

"Where do you two think you're going!" Mum snapped at them.

"We're of age!" Fred said hotly

"Yeah, why shouldn't we be allowed in!" George added angrily.

"Because I say so, now come upstairs right now!" Mum said

Fred and George glanced at each other, then said "Alright" simultaneously, and then disapperated, appearing on the landing above us. The shock of this scared Mum.

"Really you two! Did you have to?" she said

"Mum, if you're gonna stop two adults attending an adult only meeting, you can at least understand us getting upstairs in the manner we want" said Fred

Mum bit her lip, then said "I suppose you may have a point for the first time ever. Anyway, the rest of you, follow me"

Mum showed us girls to a room on the third floor with 4 bunks, and then left with the twins and Ron.

Hermione then greeted us properly, fist bumping each of us and saying "sorry I couldn't say anything outside, we all got moved in here too quickly"

"Don't worry mate" Demelza said, sitting down on her bunk below mine (I had called shotgun on the upper bunk, yeah call me immature I know, don't care) "we were surprised too"

"The thing that confuses me is how dark this house looks. It feels like this should be hosting Death Eater meetings, yet it's the exact opposite" Hermione continued

"Those were my thoughts too" I said "and that portrait being of Sirius's mum, what's that all about?"

"Let's ask him later" Amy said "I hope she was an outlier"

"Something tells me that's wishful thinking" Demelza said

Fred, George and Ron then entered.

"Mum's just gone downstairs" said Ron

"The meeting's about to start" Fred said

"Yes, so we think it's time to use our secret weapon!" George added, holding out the extendable ears.