The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

128. When Love Ventures Into Hate

Amara hadn't moved, even to speak, but Eliana had seen her face go deadly white, a sure-fire sign she had reached her limit.

"Molly," Eliana said in a ringing voice, "You are by far not the only person at this table who cares about Harry. Amara is right. She and Sirius have the final say, not you." Gentler, she added, "Amara, sit down."

She did not move for a moment, staring at Molly with an expression much akin to the one Harry had seen her give Snape more than once. Gently, Sirius took hold of her and lowered her to sit beside him. When she had sat, she instantly began to tremble, not with rage, but with something else. All anger drained from her face as she tightly gripped Sirius' hand in her own.

"I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Remus said as Sirius wrapped an arm around Amara's shoulders. "He's old enough to decide for himself."

"I want to know what's going on," Harry said at once.

"Very well," Molly said, her voice cracking. "Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred - George - Thea, I want you out of this kitchen now."

Instantly, all of those called apart from Althea and Hermione went into an uproar.

"We're of age!" Fred and George cried.

"If Harry's allowed, why can't I?" Ron shouted.

"Mum, I want to!" Ginny agreed.

"NO!" Molly shouted. "I absolutely forbid-"

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

"They're still at school-"

"But they're legally adults now," Mr Weasley said in the same tired voice.

Mrs Weasley was now scarlet with rage.

"Dad?" Althea whispered so softly none but Remus could hear.

"Yes, Althea?" he replied, leaning closer to hear her.

"Well...may I stay?" she asked.

"I have no objection," Remus replied, "I'll ask your mother."

Althea couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips at that moment.

"Ellie, do you have any objection to Althea staying?" Remus asked, turning to her with a calm, inquiring look as Molly's angry expression fixed on them.

"None at all," Eliana replied with a small smile, catching sight of Althea's hopeful expression behind him.

"Althea, you may stay," Remus said.

"I - oh, all right then," Molly said, somehow growing even redder than before at this proclamation, "Fred, George, and Thea can stay, but Ron-"

"Harry and Thea'll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!" Ron exclaimed. "Won't - won't you?"

"Of course we will," Harry said without hesitation.

"Fine!" Molly cried, in an even greater temper. "Fine! Ginny - BED!"

After the sound of Ginny kicking and screaming had faded, Sirius turned to Harry and asked, "Okay, Harry...what do you want to know?"

He was still holding Amara, allowing her to grip his hand as tightly as she needed to until she had calmed down. Although she certainly could get angry enough to yell, Sirius knew that it took a lot out of her. He already knew she would be unsettled until she had gotten some sleep.

"Where's Voldemort? What's he doing? I've been trying to watch the muggle news, and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything-" Harry began all at once.

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

"More than he thinks we do anyway," Remus added.

"How come he's stopped killing people?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself at the moment," Sirius explained. "It would be dangerous for him. His comeback 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," Eliana said with an amused smile in Harry's direction.

"How?" Harry asked in confusion.

"You weren't supposed to live," Amara said with a forced smile, her voice still shaking slightly. "Nobody apart from his Death Eaters were 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," Remus added, "and you made sure Dumbledore knew at once."

"How has that helped?" Harry asked, utterly perplexed.

"Are you kidding?" Bill said incredulously. "Dumbledore was the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!"

"Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned," Eliana explained. "And not just those of us who fought him even back the first time." With a sad smile, she said, "Not all of us are still here, unfortunately."

Sometimes Harry forgot Madam Black had known his parents. He made a mental note to ask her about them sometime.

"So, what's the Order been doing?" Harry asked.

"Working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort can't carry out his plans," Sirius said.

"How d'you know what his plans are?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore's got a shrewd idea," Remus replied consideringly. "And Dumbledore's shrewd ideas normally turn out to be accurate."

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

"Well, firstly, he wants to build up his army again," Amara said. "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," Harry guessed.

"We're doing our best," Remus replied.

"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," Bill explained, "It's proving tricky, though."

"Augusta Longbottom believes you, Harry," Althea said suddenly. "Neville's grandmother. They both believe you." At the questioning looks from her parents, she quickly explained, "He told me when he wrote back, nothing more, I swear." Bitterly, she added, "I've kept my promise."