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iii.parties of curiosity
The morning was strangely silent. Harry'd been gone for a while by the time Matilda had finally been made to roll out of bed. For the better too, thought Matilda. She knew that if she'd been awake when Harry was leaving for the Ministry there'd be no one who she'd let stop her from going with him.
She'd wanted to talk about. Matilda wanted to talk about all the possibilities that could from Harry's hearing. She'd taken the seat across Sirius, at the dusty dining room table. He was tired. Looking as if he hadn't slept a drop in the last few years. Angry too. Just like her, Sirius wanted to be there for Harry. His blue eyes dropped to his scarred hands. Dark hair hanging thick around his face. He wrung them dry, his hands, twisting them together. Matilda knew this gesture too well. Sirius was trying to keep his composure. To keep his anger in check. She knew this well because Matilda would often mock these movements in the same manner.
Matilda watched him for a few seconds. Waiting for him to look at her. To acknowledge her existence. But just as his sharp, blue eyes rose to meet her matching pair, Molly Weasley stepped into the quiet room. Before either Sirius or Matilda had the chance to even greet the other, Molly opened her mouth and ushered Matilda out of the old room. Again, she'd been pulled into housework.
It was tedious work. All of it. But the cleaning kept Matilda's mind occupied. Her hands were kept busy by the work. Because not was she dusting old shelves or folding throw blankets. Instead, Matilda was clearing the darkest and most forgotten corners of the home and cleaning it of creatures that should only be allowed to roam in the darkest of nightmares.
"Harry's been gone quite a while now. And there's been no word of anything," a nervous whisper sounded through the otherwise silent room. "What'd you reckon is happening?"
Ron and Hermione had been whispering amongst one another in a corner of their own. Ron was worried. Obviously so, as he watched each passing minute on the large grandfather clock.
"I'm not sure, Ron," said Hermione with a sigh. She couldn't hide it either. Her nerves were getting the best of her as well. But she was putting all the negative energy into cleaning. Similar to Matilda. "These things take time though. We'll know something soon."
Matilda too was worried. She knew what could come of this hearing. Harry's expulsion. Which these days the Ministry will do in a blink of an eye. It doesn't matter if Harry was justified in whatever crime he committed. They'd expel him for dropping his wand at this point. He was a threat to the false sense of security they'd built around the Wizarding World. Harry was a threat to Cornelius Fudge's credibility.
"Hermione's right," said Matilda. In an attempt more to comfort herself than Ron or Hermione. "If Harry had been expelled he'd been home by now."
"Right," swallowed Ron as beads of sweat began to roll down his forehead. "No news is good news."
