Chapter 17
Fred
Fred sat at the table with his family, idly tossing his wand from hand to hand. Their father was explaining what his brother (Percy the Prat) had done. Apparently rather than join the Order, or even stay neutral, Percy had decided to aline with the Ministry and stand against Dumbledore. Not that Fred felt particularly fond of his headmaster at the moment, but this was about more than personal grudges. Percy had publicly, in the Ministry of Magic no less, told their father he was no longer his son. Fred longed to punch his bastard of a (not) brother in the face for the look he had put on his father’s. Arthur sat at the head of the table, looking tired and older than Fred had ever seen.
His mother sobbed as his father explained what Percy had said. Every time he paused Fred was more certain that this had been no even-tempered meeting, and Percy must have said some truly unforgivable things to their father. He and George locked eyes for a moment, agreeing this was no surprise coming from Percy. He was more surprised the hat had chosen Gryffindor for his ambitious, strict, rule-loving brother. He was cunning, in his own way. Take for instance this power-move. The Minister had chosen Percy to assist him because Dumbledore was close with Arthur, and the Weasleys, though poor, were pure-bloods of the sacred 28. Percy used this to publicly denounce Dumbledore, endearing himself to the Minister and, in his mind, securing his rise to power and influence. Straight Slytherin, if you ask me. Fred thought bitterly.
“Don’t cry mum, please.” George pleaded. He may not always (or even often) see eye to eye with his mother, but her loved her. Fred knew that George, the more empathetic of the two of them, hated to see his mother cry, and would do almost anything to help her feel better. It wasn’t that Fred didn’t feel bad for his mother, he did, but he was more suspicious of her over-the-top reactions, often feeling she used her tears to get what she wanted out of a situation. A trait he was unfortunately seeing develop in his younger sister Ginny. This suspicion led him to analyze his mother’s outbursts , rather than react to them. In this case, she seemed genuinely upset, and rightly so, by her child’s abandonment of his family.
“Percy’s a prat but he’ll come around. Once everyone knows you-know-who’s back he’ll apologize. “ Fred said sensibly. “Look at it this way, less fighting over crackers at Christmas!” No one laughed at his admittedly lame attempt at humor.
“Moving on.” Arthur said. “This summer is going to be different. With all the death eater activity, you aren’t to leave grimmauld place without us.”
“We’re of age-” George began
“And still in school. Still under our protection. You will do as you are told.” Arthur said firmly. Molly reached out and clasped her husband’s arm, mopping at her face with a sodden handkerchief.
“You’ll do as-as your father says.” She said with a water voice.
“Can’t we at least go back to the burrow? I hate it here!” Ginny whined.
“The meeting is about to start. All of you, go to your rooms.” Arthur said wearily, avoiding her question.
Interesting. Fred thought. Why exactly couldn’t we be at the burrow? Not that he wanted to go back to his country home at the moment. He quite like Grimmauld place, full of mysteries and good company. There was also something about this place coming back to life, each project completed breathing life into something that had been left for dead. Just like Sirius…every day that passed he smiled more, and lost a little more of the haunted look in his eyes.
Order members began to arrive, the pink haired witch Tonks showing up first with a literal bang as she collided with the sideboard and sent several china cups crashing to the floor.
“Sorry, Sorry!” She called out, pulling her wand from it’s holster to repair the damage. Lupin walked in as she was repairing the last cup, and her face went as pink as her hair. Fred watched her give him a shy smile as she chose a seat next to him and tried to engage him in conversation. She’s got it bad, he thought wryly. Too bad he’s taken. He shared another glance with his twin as they both watched the awkward courting dance before them. Tonks really was trying hard, as Lupin politely, if stiffly, engaged her in conversation.
“Boys?” Their father said pointedly.
They made a show of sighing and complaining as they left the table. It wouldn’t do to seem eager to go, that might raise suspicions. After leaving the kitchen, they made their way to the second floor landing, and the secret panel (formerly hidden behind an ugly bust). Fred turned to close the door behind them and caught sight of Hermione leaving her room, her eyes locked on a piece of parchment in her hand.
“Psst, Granger!” He whispered. Her head snapped up and and she smiled when her eyes found him, peeking out from a split in the wainscoting. He gave her what he considered his most charming grin and reached his hand out. “Fancy an adventure?”
George
George wasn’t sure if this was the best idea his twin had sprung on him, or the worst. It hovered somewhere between, as they were currently occupying an alcove in the hidden staircase. It seemed to be a passing place, built so one could step aside and let another pass them on the single-file stone steps that made the passage. Made for one body and currently housing three, Hermione Granger sandwiched between himself and his twin. Of all the times he’s imagined getting close to Hermione, not a single fantasy had involved hiding in a musty, spider encrusted hall, listening to a secret meeting and trying to be as silent as possible. The three of them had their heads bent together to listen at the end of the entendable ear giving them access to the conversation on the other side of the stone wall. Now, George couldn't help but notice the voluminous curls of Hermione's hair tickling his face, the lavender scent filling his mind. Despite the cramped space and the awkward situation, George found himself mesmerized by the softness of those curls, and imagined plunging his hands deep in them, pulling her impossibly closer and-. No- no, no. He chastised himself, wrenching his mind out of the gutter and back to eavesdropping. The last thing he needed while confined here was to embarrass himself (and her!) by getting excited by his out of control imagination.
The meeting was about the start, if the number of Order members now occupying the space was any indication. There were more of them than the last time they listened in, and they tried to identify as many as they could by voice.
“McGonagall?” Hermione breathed, barely even a whisper.
“Pomfry too.” Fred murmured as they listen to the two women exchange hellos with Sirius, Remus and Bill. George thought McGonagall sounded tense, but then he supposed, stern was her natural state of being.
“Albus, there you are!” Professor McGonagall said sharply. “I’ve been trying to reach you for a week!”
“I’ve been quite busy, Minerva. Perhaps we can connect after the meeting?”
“How about right now, Albus. What’s this I’m hearing about Hermione Granger losing her prefect badge?” Her voice as sharp as a razor.
“Minerva, that is a school matter and it would be more appropriate for us-”
“Now it’s a school matter? Then tell me, Albus, what Ms. Granger did at school to lose that accolade?” She snapped.
Albus sighed. “If word got out about Ms Granger’s activities keeping her a prefect would appear blatant favoritism. Ms. Brown will make a fine prefect.”
Minerva snorted audibly. “Favoritism? She is best in the year, and the only one who can manage to keep her friends in line. Ms. Brown is a barley passing student who can barley transfigure a toad into a footstool!”
“Minerva, please. Let’s discuss this later.”
“Oh we will be discussing it later. And if you think I’m letting you resort the girl who single handedly gets more points than the rest of the house combined you have another -” McGonagall voice faded as she walked away from where the extendable ear rested.
“Prefect?” George whispered in her ear.
“Resorting?” Fred whispered in the other.
“Later.” Hermione hissed, leaning close to the fleshy tube giving them access to the meeting on the other side.
The Order members got down to business, discussing rotating shifts guarding something they refused to mention by name. The trio tensed when the topic shifted to death eater sightings, and setting wards at the homes of Order members.
“Well, we all know what happened at the Burrow.” Arthur said wearily. “Luckily, we have Grimmauld place, thanks to Sirius.”
Fred and George tensed and locked eyes. The Burrow? What happened at the Burrow?
“Yes it’s so generous of Sirius to offer his house to the Order, since he can’t do anything else.” Snape said nastily.
“On to other business, we must discuss Hermione Granger’s guardianship. It won’t be long until Ministry Officials notice she is no longer in the care of her parents, and it would do well for us to control the narrative of her abandonment. It must be an Order member, we can’t risk her falling into the wrong hands.” Dumbledore said.
The members muttered to each other.
“Well, don’t look at me.” Mad-eye said gruffly. There was some scatted laughter at the idea of the scarred old Auror taking in a child.
“Molly, I was rather hoping you and Arthur-” Dumbledore began.
“Oh, no Dumbledore, we couldn’t possibly, seven children already and…no we couldn’t take in another.”
“Come now, Molly, she’s one of your son’s closest friends.”
“She’s…no Dumbledore. Absolutely not.”
“This isn’t necessary, Dumbledore. Hermione is staying here.” Sirius said suddenly.
“Sirius, she needs a guardian, according to the law-”Arthur started.
“And she will have one. I’m adopting her.”
The room fell silent, then Snape let out a derisive laugh.
“How, pray tell will you manage that Black? Do you think they will hold off the Dementors long enough for you to sign the paperwork?”
“Sirius, we don’t have time for this. You know why that’s not possible.” Albus said sadly.
“Actually, Albus, your wrong.” There was a rustle of paper.
“What is this?” Dumbledore said incredulously.
“Just came today. That’s from the lawyer working on my case.” Sirius said smugly.
“You risk the entire Order going public like this- how could you go behind my back?” Dumbledore said coldly.
“How is my freedom a risk to the Order? If anything it makes me more of an asset!”
“I agree, I fail to see how Sirius remaining a fugitive aids us.” Lupin chimed in.
“Of course you’d side with him.” Snape sneered.
“Sirius, I know remaining in hiding had been taxing on you, but this is not the time to make some grand public show. When it fails and you are back in Azkaban, what then?” Dumbledore said.
“It won’t fail-”
“Sirius, don’t be silly. You can’t be a guardian to a young girl, you’re…” Molly paused. George would put money on his father having reached out a hand to get her to stop.
“What am I, Molly?” Sirius asked, his voice low and angry.
“A wastrel!” She bit out. “And a bachelor- it’s entirely inappropriate, a girl like that -” She tapered off again, sounding flustered.
“What exactly are you implying, Molly?” Sirius growled.
“I’m sure mum doesn’t mean anything bad, right mum?” Bill piped up.
“We all know what kind of man you were before Azkaban, what kind of man you still are. Don’t think I haven’t seen you, always sitting close, whispering, touching her-”
“What the FUCK Molly?!” Sirius roared, as the rest of the table exploded in shouts.
“I can’t.” Hermione said in a choked whisper, pushing out from between the twins and racing up the stairs.
It took one look for Fred and George to agree, Fred staying behind to listen while George raced up the stairs after Hermione. He reached her door as she was slamming it closed. He could hear her gasping sobs on the other side, and went for the knob rather than knock. Locked. Well fuck that. He thought, turning on his heal and using his favorite shortcut. Appearing on the other side a moment later, he saw Hermione face down on her bed, the sound of her sobs echoing in the room. George rushed to her side, his heart breaking at the sight of her pain. He nudged Crookshanks out of the way, ignoring the kneasle’s angry hiss and wrapped his arms around her trembling form, whispering words of comfort in her ear. “We know it’s not true, Hermione. I…I don’t know what’s gotten into mum but…I’m sorry.”
But the girl's sobs only grew louder, her anguish seeming to consume her whole being. George felt helpless, unsure of how to ease her suffering. He held her tighter, his own eyes welling up with tears as he wished he could take away her pain.