-͟͟͞☆ Chapter 5

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴:
"Sirius vs Molly"
03:12 ━━━━●───── 05:23

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🛸✮☄

“Not all those who wander are lost.” — Lord of The Rings

THIRD PERSON POV 

"When did you came?" Adalyn asked as they walked towards her room. "I guess it's been an hour? Yeah. I kind of had a shouting session with others," He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Nice way to call it" Lily sighed shaking her head.

"What? Shouting session? What kind of shouting session?" She asked, turning to face him. 

But he never got the chance to answer her question. "Hey, what are you two doing here?" Harry turned and grinned widely. 

"Padfoot" He said rushing to hug the man. "Hey there Harry" Sirius said hugging the boy back, "Travelled alright?" He asked as the boy nodded. "Yeah, alright" He said coming out of the hug. 

"So, what brings you here and wait- Adalyn, what's that book in your hand?" Sirius asked narrowing his eyes at the book causing the girl to gulp and look at him nervously. What was she supposed to say now? Obviously she can't say that the noble house of black's dark library attracted her and now she's reading a  book on dark arts. Oh god, that sounds even stupid in her brain. 

"What will you do if you found out what she's reading?" Remus asked looking at Sirius who shrugged, "I don't know moony, as if of now, I guess.. I would....well listen if she's anything like me, telling her no would be fuel to fire, and she would be head on to do it no matter what. So, I would read it to her, with precautions" Sirius said nodding as Briony gave him a look.

"Read it to her? It isn't bedtime story Sirius, that you'll read it to her" She said as he turned to look at her, "Yeah, but better if I am there to keep an eye on her"

"Oh that, I got it from our public library, I was getting bored whole summer so I decided to get some book, but due to these sudden arrangements, I couldn't return it, So I thought Adalyn might like to read it" Harry said moving a bit backwards to stand in front of her. 

"Ohhh damn" James wolf whistled looking at Sirius who just rolled his eyes. "Look at your spawn Prongs, already lying his way out"

Adalyn's eyes widen and if not for the situation, her jaw would have touched the floor. Harry James Potter down right lying to Sirius Black? How in world was this possible? She'd hardly ever seen him lie, and now when she did, that too in front of his godfather? Something has possessed him, definitely. 

"It's called L-O-V-E love" James said with a proud nod of his head causing the boy to elbow him in the ribs. "Ouch Padfoot, no need to get violent with your daughter's father-in-law" He said winking at the boy who just groaned loudly. "Shut up Prongs, I'm going to throw you off the astronomy tower"

"Is that so?" Sirius asked tilting his head looking at Adalyn who was trying her best to not let the shock show on her face. 

"Y-yeah, Y'know I love reading, so..." Adalyn trailed off as she stared in her father's eyes. Well Harry definitely has some guts to stare in those scary eyes and lie at the same time. 

"I don't have scary eyes" Sirius said blinking and looking at James, "Are my eyes scary?" He asked, his dark stormy grey eyes with flecks of silver and black, staring into the boy's warm hazel eyes, "Not at all, they're just kids y'know" James waving him off and bringing him into a side hug as Briony and Lily looked at the two and then at each other.

"Why are we even there Lils?" Briony muttered as the red haired just sighed shaking her head.

"Well then, I'll be waiting downstairs for dinner" He said moving down the stairs, but not before giving them both a pointed look.

They both stood there on their spots frozen for a few seconds before Adalyn squeaked loudly, "What if he gets to know" She whispered alarmed as he turned to face her and shrugged, "He won't" 

"And how's that?" She asked as the boy just gave a lopsided grin, "Well, trust me" 

"Thanks for the save tho" She said nodding, "Well, do keep the book back after having a look at it" He said pointedly as she nodded again, "Yeah, you have my word" 

"She's lying, she's gonna have the whole book memorized" Sirius said as Remus turned to look at him, his eyes narrowed in suspicison. "You sound very suspicious right now Padfoot" He mumbled as the boy looked at him baffled. "Why am I sounding suspicious Moony? I'm literally just stating the facts"

They both went down to the bottom of the stairs and through a door leading into the basement kitchen. 

"You know what, let me go and keep this book in my room first" Adalyn said as Harry nodded moving  inside the kitchen. 

It was scarcely less gloomy than the hall above, a cavernous room with rough stone walls. Most of the light was coming from a large fire at the far end of the room. 

Many chairs had been crammed into the room for the meeting and a long wooden table stood in the middle of the room, littered with rolls of parchment, goblets, empty wine bottles, and a heap of what appeared to be rags. Mr. Weasley and his eldest son, Bill, were talking quietly with their heads together at the end of the table. 

Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat. "Harry!" Mr. Weasley said, hurrying forward to greet him and shaking his hand vigorously. "Good to see you!"

Over his shoulder Harry saw Bill, who still wore his long hair in a ponytail, hastily rolling up the lengths of parchment left on the table. 

Bill looked up from his mother's shoulder as he heard his name being mentioned.

"Journey all right, Harry?" Bill called, trying to gather up twelve scrolls at once. "Mad-Eye didn't make you come via Greenland,then?"

"He tried," said Tonks, striding over to help Bill and immediately sending a candle toppling onto the last piece of parchment. "Oh no — sorry —"

"Well you sure are very clumsy Nmyphie" Teddy said rubbing his nose against the little girl's stomach causing her to squeal and laugh loudly.

"Here, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, sounding exasperated, and she repaired the parchment with a wave of her wand: In the flash of light caused by Mrs. Weasley's charm, Harry caught a glimpse of what looked like the plan of a building. Mrs. Weasley had seen him looking. She snatched the plan off the table and stuffed it into Bill's heavily laden arms.

 "This sort of thing ought to be cleared away promptly at the end of meetings," she snapped before sweeping off toward an ancient dresser from which she started unloading dinner plates.Bill took out his wand, muttered "Evanesco!" and the scrolls vanished."Sit down, Harry," said Sirius. "You've met Mundungus, haven't you?" 

"That's the man that woman was calling out" Alice said as frank nodded. "Yeah, sounds familiar"

The thing Harry had taken to be a pile of rags gave a prolonged,grunting snore and then jerked awake. "Some'n say m' name?" Mundungus mumbled sleepily. "I 'gree with Sirius. . . ."He raised a very grubby hand in the air as though voting, hisdroopy, bloodshot eyes unfocused. Ginny giggled.

"The meeting's over, Dung," said Sirius, as they all sat down around him at the table. "Harry's arrived."

"Eh?" said Mundungus, peering balefully at Harry through his matted ginger hair. "Blimey, so 'e 'as. Yeah . . . you all right, 'arry?"

"Yeah," said Harry. Mundungus fumbled nervously in his pockets, still staring at Harry, and pulled out a grimy black pipe. 

He stuck it in his mouth, ignited the end of it with his wand, and took a deep pull on it. Great billowing clouds of greenish smoke obscured him in seconds. "Owe you a 'pology," grunted a voice from the middle of the smelly cloud.

"Is he literally smoking in the kitchen? In front of the kids?" Lily said astounded at the sheer audacity of the man.

 "For the last time, Mundungus," called Mrs. Weasley, "will you please not smoke that thing in the kitchen, especially not when we're about to eat!"

"Ah," said Mundungus. "Right. Sorry, Molly. "The cloud of smoke vanished as Mundungus stowed his pipe back in his pocket, but an acrid smell of burning socks lingered.

"And if you want dinner before midnight I'll need a hand," Mrs. Weasley said to the room at large. "No, you can stay where you are, Harry dear, you've had a long journey —"

"What can I do, Molly?" said Tonks enthusiastically, bounding forward. Mrs. Weasley hesitated, looking apprehensive."Er — no, it's all right, Tonks, you have a rest too, you've done enough today —"

"No, no, I want to help!" said Tonks brightly, knocking over a chair as she hurried toward the dresser from which Ginny was collecting cutlery.

Adalyn peeked inside the kitchen, scanning the room she found an empty seat beside her father. Well that was her seat, slowly coming inside and closing the door after her she slipped into her seat and began drinking from her goblet pretending as if she was always there. 

 "Had a good summer so far?"
"No, it's been lousy," said Harry.For the first time, something like a grin flitted across Sirius's face."Don't know what you're complaining about, myself."
"What?" said Harry incredulously.

"Personally, I'd have welcomed a dementor attack. A deadly struggle for my soul would have broken the monotony nicely. You think you've had it bad, at least you've been able to get out and about,stretch your legs, get into a few fights. . . . I've been stuck inside for a month."
"How come?" asked Harry, frowning.

"Well that's cheerful, Padfoot," James said, frowning at the boy who shrugged.

"Because Dear dumbledore things there's some kind of danger lurking outside for me, don't worry just kidding, well he thinks as the host of the house I am supposed to stay inside and play house house with the order members" 

There was something about the slightly flattened tone of voice in which Sirius uttered Dumbledore's name that told Harry that Sirius was not very happy with the headmaster either. Harry felt a sudden upsurge of affection for his godfather.

"Wow! I mean, that's such a strong reason to love your godfather" Lily snickered shaking his head.

"At least you've known what's been going on," he said bracingly."Oh yeah," said Sirius sarcastically. "Listening to Snape's reports,having to take all his snide hints that he's out there risking his life while I'm sat on my backside here having a nice comfortable time . . .asking me how the cleaning's going —"

"What cleaning?" asked Harry."Trying to make this place fit for human habitation," said Sirius, waving a hand around the dismal kitchen. 

"Well apparently the other room haven't been clean considering no one used them for years and overall all the house was also a bit less clean, considering I was most of the time out for work, or when I was home I was accompanied by some lethargic people who don't do any work" He sighed side eyeing Adalyn who poked out her tongue at him. 

"As if you're any better" Remus said rolling his eyes. "He literally sleeps in till ten and even when he wakes up he doesn't get up from the bed till noon" Remus continued as Sirius just scowled at him.

"I do not" He said, "Do too" James replied snickering at his best friend who just sighed shaking his head.

"Sirius?" said Mundungus, who did not appear to have paid any attention to this conversation, but had been minutely examining a nempty goblet. "This solid silver, mate?"

"Yes," said Sirius, surveying it with distaste. "Finest fifteenth century goblin-wrought silver, embossed with the Black family crest."
"That'd come off, though," muttered Mundungus, polishing it with his cuff. "Fred — George — NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked. 

Harry, Sirius, Adalyn and Mundungus looked around and, a split second later, dived away from the table. Fred and George had bewitched a large cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of butterbeer, and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with knife, to hurtle through the air toward them.

 The stew skidded the length of the table and came to ahalt just before the end, leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface, the flagon of butterbeer fell with a crash, spilling its contents everywhere, and the bread knife slipped off the board and landed,point down and quivering ominously, exactly where Sirius's right hand had been seconds before.

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" screamed Mrs. Weasley. "THERE WAS NO NEED — I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS — JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING!"

"We were just trying to save a bit of time!" said Fred, hurrying forward and wrenching the bread knife out of the table. "Sorry Sirius, mate — didn't mean to —" Harry, Adalyn, and Sirius were  laughing. Mundungus, who had toppled backward off his chair, was swearing as he got to his feet.

 "Boys," Mr. Weasley said, lifting the stew back into the middle of the table, "your mother's right, you're supposed to show a sense of responsibility now you've come of age —"

"— none of your brothers caused this sort of trouble!" Mrs. Weasley raged at the twins, slamming a fresh flagon of butterbeer onto the table and spilling almost as much again. 

"Let's eat," said Bill quickly. "It looks wonderful, Molly," said Lupin, ladling stew onto a plate for her and handing it across the table.

For a few minutes there was silence but for the chink of plates and cutlery and the scraping of chairs as everyone settled down to their food. 

Then Mrs. Weasley turned to Sirius and said, "I've been meaning to tell you, there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room, it keeps rattling and shaking. Of course, it could just be a boggart, but I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out."

 "Whatever you like," said Sirius indifferently.

"The curtains in there are full of doxies too," Mrs. Weasley went on. "I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow."

"I look forward to it," said Sirius. Harry heard the sarcasm in his voice, but he was not sure that anyone else did.

"Umm I'm sure I wasn't being rude to you, just maybe, mood" Sirius said looking at Molly apologetically who shook her head, telling him it's nothing.

Opposite Harry, Tonks was entertaining Hermione and Ginny by transforming her nose between mouthfuls. Screwing up her eyes each time with the same pained expression she had worn back in Harry's bedroom. 

Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on Harry's jeans was feeling uncomfortably tight. He lay down his spoon in a lull in the general conversation. Mr. Weasley was leaning back in his chair, looking replete and relaxed, Tonks was yawning widely, her nose now back to normal, and Ginny, who had lured Crookshanks out from under the dresser, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, rolling butterbeer corks for him to chase. 

Adalyn, Esmeray, and Arilene were whispering something amongst themselves as Regan sat idly beside them, waving his fork in the air. 

"Nearly time for bed, I think," said Mrs. Weasley on a yawn. "Not just yet, Molly," said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."

The atmosphere in the room changed with the rapidity Harry associated with the arrival of dementors. Where seconds before it had been sleepily relaxed, it was now alert, even tense. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Lupin, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary.

"I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Ron, Arilene and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so —"

"And they're quite right," said Mrs. Weasley. "You're too young." She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched upon its arms, every trace of drowsiness gone.

 "Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?" asked Sirius. "Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen —"

"Oh thank Merlin that you have a brain in the future padfoot" James sid with a long sigh as Sirius looked at him with raised brows, "I have much more brain than you Prongs"

"Hang on!" interrupted George loudly. "How come Harry gets his questions answered?" said Fred angrily. "We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said George.

" 'You're too young, you're not in the Order,' " said Fred, in a high pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's. "Harry's not even of age!"

"It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly. "That's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand —"

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply. Her normally kindly face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"

"Well no offense, but he's his godfather, he can decide what's good for him" James mumbled glancing at Molly before quickly looking back at the book.

Adalyn looked between her father and Molly, god this is either gonna turn nasty or well interesting. 

"Which bit?" Sirius asked politely, but with an air as though readying himself for a fight.

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know," said Mrs. Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words.

Ron, Hermione, Arilene, Regan, Sagira, Fred, and George's heads turned from Sirius to Mrs. Weasley as though following a tennis rally. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open.

 Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius.

"I don't intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly," said Sirius. "But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back, he has more right than most to —"

"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Mrs. Weasley. "He's only fifteen and —"

"— and he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," said Sirius," and more than some —"

"No one's denying what he's done!" said Mrs. Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. "But he's still —"

"He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently

"He's not an adult either!" said Mrs. Weasley, the color rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!"

"Obviously I would know he's not James" Sirius said rolling his eyes discreetly.

"Well obviously he knows Harry isn't uncle James" Adalyn muttered lowly, rolling her eyes. 

"Exactly" Sirius huffed shaking his head.

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly. "I'm not sure you are!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!"

Sirius scowled looking at the book in irritation. The f*ck?

"What's wrong with that?" said Harry.

 Adalyn groaned and kicked him from under the table as he turned to look at her with furrowed brows. "Don't speak anything" She mouthed as he just nodded reluctantly. 

"What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!" said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. "You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!"

"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" demanded Sirius, his voice rising.

"Meaning you've been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and —"

"We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!" said Sirius loudly.

"Arthur!" said Mrs. Weasley, rounding on her husband. "Arthur, back me up!" Mr. Weasley did not speak at once. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. 

Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he say, "Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in to a certain extent now that he is staying at headquarters —"

"Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"

"Personally," said Lupin quietly, looking away from Sirius at last, as Mrs. Weasley turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally, "I think it better that Harry gets the facts — not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture — from us, rather than a garbled version from . . . others." 

"Well thank merlin" James muttered.

His expression was mild, but Harry felt sure that Lupin, at least, knew that some Extendable Ears had survived Mrs. Weasley's purge.

"Well," said Mrs. Weasley, breathing deeply and looking around the table for support that did not come, "well . . . I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has got Harry's best interests at heart —"

"He's not your son," said Sirius quietly.

"He's as good as," said Mrs. Weasley fiercely. "Who else has he got?"

"He's got Sirius of course," James said looking at Molly with an irritated expression on his face, "and Remus"

"Prongs don't" Remus hissed nudging his arms as the boy scoffed looking away from her. "Don't mind him Molly, he's just protective of his friends" Lily said to which Molly nodded, though she had a sulken expression on her face.

"He's got me!"

"Yes," said Mrs. Weasley, her lip curling. "The thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?"

There was complete silence as Sirius stared at the book with a complete blank face. "You've got no right to say that" James said looking at Molly, his face turning red each second. "Prongs stop, don't" Remus said holding his head and taking the book from Sirius.

"No, I don't care if she's taken care or love him like her own ,but, I would have made Sirius my son's godfather for a reason and people should not forget that" James said burning holes in the book as Molly looked down at the ground. What is she even supposed to say? She did go beyond her limit in the book.

Regulus meanwhile stared at Molly with irritation masked by indifference. Who the f*ck was she to say that to his brother? Sitting in his home, and taunting him about his own godson? Oh the audacity!

Adalyn gaped at Molly with her eyes wide. What the f*ck was she on about? 

Sirius started to rise from his chair. "Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry," said Lupin sharply. "Sirius, sit down."

Mrs. Weasley's lower lip was trembling. Sirius sank slowly back into his chair, his face white. "I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Lupin continued. "He's old enough to decide for himself."

"I want to know what's been going on," Harry said at once. He did not look at Mrs. Weasley. He had been touched by what she had said about his being as good as a son, but he was also impatient at her coddling, and the fact that she just made a nasty comment about his godfather, made all the gratitude fly out of the window... Sirius was right, he was not a child.

"Very well," said Mrs. Weasley, her voice cracking. "Ginny, Esmeray, Arilene, Adalyn, Ron,  Hermione,  Fred, George — I want you out of this kitchen, now." 

"Well she can't decide for everyone else, try minding your own kids" Rabastan mumbled rolling his eyes.

There was instant uproar.

"We're of age!" Fred and George bellowed together

."If Harry's allowed, why can't I?" shouted Ron. "Mum, I want to!" wailed Ginny. 

"NO!" shouted Mrs. Weasley, standing up, her eyes over bright. "I absolutely forbid —"

"Molly, you can't stop Fred and George," said Mr. Weasley wearily."They are of age —"

"They're still at school —"

"But they're legally adults now," said Mr. Weasley in the same tired voice. Mrs. Weasley was now scarlet in the face."I — oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Ron —"

"Harry will tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!" said Ron hotly. "Won't — won't you?" he added uncertainly, meeting Harry's eyes. For a split second, Harry considered telling Ron that he wouldn't tell him a single word, that he could try a taste of being kept in the dark and see how he liked it. 

But the nasty impulse vanished as they looked at each other." 'Course I will," Harry said. Ron and Hermione beamed. "Fine!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Fine! Ginny — BED!"

Ginny did not go quietly.

Molly finally turned to the rest of the kids as they kept seated on the table, "Well Thanks for your concern, Mrs. Weasley, but my father is sitting right here and I think he has the right to decide for me, and I don't need you to make decisions for me" Adalyn said put emphasis on the words father and decisions. She knew she shouldn't have said that, but neither should have molly. 

"That's my girl" Briony whispered with a small smirk on her face.

Mrs. Weasley's face was red as she muttered something under her breath and didn't even bother to say anything to Arilene, Regan and Sagira. 

"They're not yours to even say something" Regulus said rolling his eyes, done with the Woman's antics.

Harry looked at Adalyn and found her glaring at the table. He gently nudged her foot under the table causing her to look up at him. "We'll talk later" He mouthed the words as the girl took a deep breath and nodded. 

 "Okay, Harry . . . what do you want to know?" Harry took a deep breath and asked the question that had been obsessing him for a month. 

"Where's Voldemort? What's he doing? I've been trying to watch the Muggle news," he said, ignoring the renewed shudders and winces at the name, "and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything —"

"I doubt Voldemort will be on Muggle news, has he been there this year" Briony asked looking at Lily who shook her head, "Not as such"

"That's because there haven't been any suspicious deaths yet," said Sirius, "not as far as we know, anyway. . . . And we know quite a lot."

 "More than he thinks we do anyway," said Lupin. 

"How come he's stopped killing people?" Harry asked. He knew that Voldemort had murdered more than once in the last year alone.

"Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself at the moment," said Sirius. "It would be dangerous for him. His come back didn't come off quite the way he wanted it to, you see. He messed it up."

 "Or rather, you messed it up for him," said Lupin with a satisfied smile. "How?" Harry asked perplexedly. 

"You weren't supposed to survive!" said Sirius. "Nobody apart from his Death Eaters was supposed to know he'd come back. But you survived to bear witness." 

"And the very last person he wanted alerted to his return the moment he got back was Dumbledore," said Lupin. "And you made sure Dumbledore knew at once."

 "How has that helped?" Harry asked." Are you kidding?" said Bill incredulously. "Dumbledore was the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!"

"Well obviously" Marlene said looking at Dumbledore, who sat calmly on his seat.

 "Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned," said Sirius. "So what's the Order been doing?" said Harry, looking around at them all. "Working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort can't carry out his plans," said Sirius. 

"How d'you know what his plans are?" Harry asked quickly. "Dumbledore's got a shrewd idea," said Lupin, "and Dumbledore's shrewd ideas normally turn out to be accurate."  

"Now I hope Harry could have came sooner, I was dying to hear all of this" Arilene whispered in Adalyn's ear as the girl just scoffed. "How very nice of you to want to see your brother for your own benefits." 

"So what does Dumbledore reckon he's planning?" 

"Well, firstly, he wants to build up his army again," said Sirius. "In the old days he had huge numbers at his command; witches and wizards he'd bullied or bewitched into following him, his faithful Death Eaters, a great variety of Dark creatures. You heard him planning to recruit the giants; well, they'll be just one group he's after. He's certainly not going to try and take on the Ministry of Magic with only a dozen Death Eaters." 

"So you're trying to stop him getting more followers?"

"We're doing our best," said Lupin.

"How?" 

"Well, the main thing is to try and convince as many people as possible that You-Know-Who really has returned, to put them on their guard," said Bill. "It's proving tricky, though." 

"Why?"

 "Because of the Ministry's attitude," said Tonks. "You saw Cornelius Fudge after You-Know-Who came back, Harry. Well, he hasn't shifted his position at all. He's absolutely refusing to believe it's happened."

"That man is a f*ckard, he doesn't know sh!t about anything" Alice scoffed shaking his head.

 "But why?" said Harry desperately. "Why's he being so stupid? If Dumbledore —" 

"Ah, well, you've put your finger on the problem," said Mr. Weasley with a wry smile. "Dumbledore."

 "Fudge is frightened of him, you see," said Tonks sadly. "Frightened of Dumbledore?" said Harry incredulously. "Frightened of what he's up to," said Mr. Weasley.

 "You see, Fudge thinks Dumbledore's plotting to overthrow him. He thinks Dumbledore wants to be Minister of Magic." 

"Why would Dumbledore want to be the Minister of Magic? Leaving Hogwarts and going to that horrid place? Yeah sure" Frank muttered rolling his eyes.

"But Dumbledore doesn't want —" 

"Of course he doesn't," said Mr. Weasley. "He's never wanted the Minister's job, even though a lot of people wanted him to take it when Millicent Bagnold retired. Fudge came to power instead, but he's never quite forgotten how much popular support Dumbledore had,even though Dumbledore never applied for the job"

"Deep down, Fudge knows Dumbledore's much cleverer than he is,a much more powerful wizard, and in the early days of his Ministry he was forever asking Dumbledore for help and advice," said Lupin. 

"But it seems that he's become fond of power now, and much more confident. He loves being Minister of Magic, and he's managed to convince himself that he's the clever one and Dumbledore's simply stirring up trouble for the sake of it."

 "How can he think that?" said Harry angrily. "How can he think Dumbledore would just make it all up — that I'd make it all up?"

 "Because accepting that Voldemort's back would mean trouble like the Ministry hasn't had to cope with for nearly fourteen years," said Sirius bitterly. "Fudge just can't bring himself to face it. It's so much more comfortable to convince himself that Dumbledore's lying to destabilize him." 

"You see the problem," said Lupin. "While the Ministry insists there is nothing to fear from Voldemort, it's hard to convince people he's back, especially as they really don't want to believe it in the first place. What's more, the Ministry's leaning heavily on the Daily Prophet not to report any of what they're calling Dumbledore's rumormongering, so most of the Wizarding community are completely unaware anything's happened, and that makes them easy targets for the Death Eaters if they're using the Imperius Curse."

 "But you're telling people, aren't you?" said Harry, looking around at Mr. Weasley, Sirius, Bill, Mundungus, Lupin, and Tonks. "You're letting people know he's back?"

They all smiled humorlessly. " I'm not a very popular dinner guest with most of the community," said Lupin. "It's an occupational hazard of being a werewolf." 

 "Tonks and  Arthur would lose our jobs at the Ministry if we started shooting their mouths off," said Sirius, "and it's very important for us to have spies inside the Ministry, because you can bet Voldemort will have them."

 "We've managed to convince a couple of people, though," said Mr.Weasley. "Tonks here, for one — she's too young to have been in the Order of the Phoenix last time, and having Aurors on our side is a huge advantage — Kingsley Shacklebolt's been a real asset too. "

 "But if none of you's putting the news out that Voldemort's back —" Harry began. "Who said none of us was putting the news out?" said Sirius. "Whyd' you think Dumbledore's in such trouble?" 

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.

"They're trying to discredit him," said Lupin. "Didn't you see the Daily Prophet last week? They reported that he'd been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards because he's getting old and losing his grip, but it's not true, he was voted out by Ministry wizards after he made a speech announcing Voldemort's return. They've demoted him from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot — that's the Wizard High Court — and they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too."

"Fudge's gone mental, completely mental" Briony breathed shaking her head.

 "But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog cards," said Bill, grinning."It's no laughing matter," said Mr. Weasley shortly. 

"If he carries on defying the Ministry like this, he could end up in Azkaban and the last thing we want is Dumbledore locked up. While You-Know-Who knows Dumbledore's out there and wise to what he's up to, he's going to go cautiously for a while. If Dumbledore's out of the way — well, You-Know-Who will have a clear field."

"But if Voldemort's trying to recruit more Death Eaters, it's bound to get out that he's come back, isn't it?" asked Harry desperately.

"Voldemort doesn't march up to people's houses and bang on their front doors, Harry," said Sirius. "He tricks, jinxes, and blackmails them. He's well-practiced at operating in secrecy. In any case, gathering followers is only one thing he's interested in, he's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on them at the moment." 

"That certainly lifts up the spirit" Adalyn said looking at Arilene who visible shuddered at the thought of being under an imperius curse. 

"What's he after apart from followers?" Harry asked swiftly. He thought he saw Sirius and Lupin exchange the most fleeting of looks before Sirius said, "Stuff he can only get by stealth." When Harry continued to look puzzled, Sirius said, "Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time." 

"When he was powerful before?" 

"Yes." 

"Like what kind of weapon?" said Harry. "Something worse than the Avada Kedavra — ?"

"Well you don't just go around saying that spell Harry" James grumbled rolling his eyes. "Well what can you say? He's your son after all" Sirius grinned pulling the boy in a headlock. "Oh get off me Padfoot" James groaned prying his hands off but Sirius had him in a death grip.

 "That's enough." Mrs. Weasley spoke from the shadows beside the door. Harry had not noticed her return from taking Ginny upstairs. Her arms were crossed and she looked furious.

"I want you in bed, now. All of you," she added, looking around at Fred, George, Ron, and Hermione. "You can't boss us —" Fred began.

"Watch me," snarled Mrs. Weasley. She was trembling slightly as she looked at Sirius. "You've given Harry plenty of information. Anymore and you might just as well induct him into the Order straightaway." 

"Why not?" said Harry quickly. "I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight —" 

"Yeah, even I want to join, if you all can't convince people that he's back cz of reasons, we can do that" Regan said as Adalyn pulled him down, "That's ridiculous Regan, if ministry is criticizing and subsiding Dumbledore on this matter, why do you think anyone will listen to some teenagers?" She said but looked at him with a small smile, "But we can join the order and do something useful-"

"The irony Black, look at your son pleading to join the order whereas you-" Rabastan trailed off whistling at the boy who just rolled his eyes. "It's his life, he can do whatever he wants to."

"Yeah, father on the dark side and the son joining the order to oppose him. Home sweet home" Evan mumbled with a snicker.

"No." It was not Mrs. Weasley who spoke this time, but Lupin. "The Order is comprised only of overage wizards," he said. "Wizards who have left school," he added, as Fred and George opened their mouths. 

"There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea,any of you . . . I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough." Sirius half-shrugged but did not argue. Mrs. Weasley beckoned imperiously to her sons and Hermione. One by one they stood up and went upstairs. 

"Wow, that was something" Arilene said stretching her legs and grinning at Sirius who shrugged. 

"Dad, I can join the order, right?" Adalyn asked looking hopefully at Sirius who  looked at her with his brows raised. "I would have considered your request-"

"Sirius" Remus said protest fully, but Sirius waved him off, "But the stunt you pulled back last year, you put yourself in danger without thinking about anything, so No" He said grinning at her as the girl slumped in her seat. 

"Say no and these kids will make their own order and personally fight him" Sirius said finally leaving James who rubbed his throat and glared at the boy.

"I can join, I am responsible" Arilene said looking at Sirius who again raised his brows. "I would have considered your request too, but considering you both are best friends" He said, looking at Adalyn and Arilene, "it's risky, so again no" He said shaking his head. 

"Well, it was worth a try" She mumbled sighing to herself. 

"If dad was here, would he have let us join the order?" Harry asked as the table fell silent.

"Excellent question, I don't know" James shrugged shaking his head.

"If he would have been here" Sirius mumbled staring at him, "more than half of the situations would have been different, would have been better" and by the tone of his voice, Harry could sense how much he was stopping himself from crying. Today's arguement, of what Mrs. Weasley said to him, weren't fair. 

"Aww Padfoot, don't cry" It was James turn to bring the boy in a headlock and ruffle his hair mercilessly. "Oww, Prongs, not my hair, not my hair your moron" Sirius grunted but James continue to tangle his hairs.

So what if Sirius saw his dad in him, he would feel very happy that his godfather could smile and laugh because he sees his best friend in him. 

"Well, that's it" Remus said as James stretched his other hand, "Give I'll read"

A/N

Sneak peek into the next chapter

"Where could kreacher be?" Adalyn whispered looking around the attics while the boy searched the whole first floor. 

"I don't know, I haven't ever talked to him before" Regan said as Adalyn chuckled coming to stand beside him. "And the heir of Blacks haven't even talked to it's house elf till now" 

"Hey, I am not the heir, you are" Regan protested looking at her while she just rolled her eyes. "Well brother do you know anything about the pureblood system? The son becomes the heir not the daughter" She said as the boy just gaped at her, "What? That's not fair, you are older than me" He said as if it was just a bad thing to be their heir of a noble pureblood family. 

"Well, it is what it is," She said shrugging, "Come on we have to find that elf" 

"Well, looks like we don't have to," Regan muttered, eyeing the cranky house-elf slowly emerging from a darkened hallway.
"Kreacher," Adalyn called, her voice firm. The elf straightened instantly and bowed stiffly to the two girls. "What can Kreacher do for you, Mistress?" he rasped. His tone was respectful, but his expression soured at the sight of her. He wore nothing but a grimy rag tied like a loincloth. His skin hung loosely over his thin frame, and he looked ancient—far older than either of them had expected. Bald like most house-elves, he still had tufts of white hair growing out of his oversized, bat like ears. His eyes were bloodshot and watery gray, and his large, snout like nose twitched as he looked between the two girls.

"Well, you can go downstairs and help them clean, can't you?" Adalyn said, raising a brow. "Considering it was your job to keep this house in order—and you've clearly failed at it. What would your dear mistress think, seeing the heir of Black scrubbing floors while you skulk around doing nothing?" She spoke in a level voice, her gaze unflinching.

Kreacher's bloodshot eyes twitched, and for a moment, it looked