Wildflower: George Weasley [2]✓

0.30

Rowen sat at the table next to George, who turned out to be saving her seat by telling others who tried to sit there that it wasn't for them. She was waiting for the food to be served and was listening to Arthur tell Harry about his trial.

"This is very, very, peculiar. It seems that your hearing at the Ministry is to be in front of the entire Wizard's council." 

"I don't understand. What has the Ministry of Magic got against me?" Rowen looked down and sighed.

"Show him." Mad-Eye said from the corner of the room, "he'll find out soon enough." Rowen looked over at Harry and dug her nails into her leg trying to get rid of some of the anxiety she felt about the situation and how the Ministry was calling Harry and Dumbledore liars and that Voldemort was not back. Kingsley handed Harry the latest Daily Prophet and Harry looked it over.

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well." Sirius said, "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence at the Daily Prophet, to...smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

"Why?"

"The Minister thinks Dumbledore's after his job." Remus told him.

"But that's insane---no on in their right mind could believe that Dumbledore..."

"Exactly the point. Fudge isn't in his right mind. No one in the Ministry is. They're a bunch of paranoid elitist." Rowen said looking up at Harry, "he is fearful. And his thoughts are being twisted and warped by fear."

"Now, fear makes people do terrible things, Harry." Remus said, "the last time Voldemort gained power, he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now he has returned, and I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing that terrifying truth."

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again. Fourteen years ago, he had huge numbers at his command, and not just witches and wizards but all manner of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily, and we've been attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in." Sirius said, Moody cleared his throat indicating the Sirius should stop, "we believe...Voldemort may be after something."

"Sirius." Moody warned. 

"Something he didn't have last time."

"You mean, like a weapon?" Harry asked, looking at Sirius. 

"No. That's enough." Mrs. Weasley interrupted, stopping her chopping to come over to take the Daily Prophet from Harry, "he's just a boy! You say much more and might as well induct him into the Order straightaway like you did your daughter!"

"Good, I want to join." Harry said looking around, "if Voldemort's raising an army, then I want to fight." Sirius clapped his hands together and looked at Harry before his eyes settled on Rowen's. She smiled at him.  

Sleeping in the same room at Hermione was like sleeping with anyone else. She read before she fell asleep, not using a bright light. But Rowen barely slept anymore. She looked around the dark room in the dark old house and just sat there for hours. Maybe getting three hours a night at most before the sun came up and she was up. Trying to get into the shower before anyone else was up. She dressed and made breakfast with Mrs. Weasley and sat at the table going over her summer assignments peeling apart toast when everyone else would come down. Harry ate before his hearing and Rowen gave him a good luck hug before he had and Arthur went off to the Underground. 

The hearing had apparently gone well because Harry was no longer expelled from Hogwarts and he was welcome back for his fifth year. He told her about how Dumbledore was there for him, but was also ignoring him at the end when he tried to talk to him. She didn't want to tell him that Dumbledore probably figured that the Ministry would stop standing against Harry if he wasn't around, because she couldn't understand why Dumbledore would purposely ignore Harry for any other reason.