6: The Order

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Y/N stepped over the threshold into the almost total darkness of the hall. He could smell damp, dust, and a sweetish, rotting smell; the place had the feeling of a derelict building. He looked over his shoulder and saw the others filing in behind him, Tonks grinning impishly behind him, and was now standing on the top step and releasing the balls of light the Deluminator had stolen from the streetlamps; they flew back to their bulbs and the square beyond glowed momentarily with orange light before Tonks stepped back inside and closed the front door, so that the darkness in the hall became complete.

Hermione was eyeing the corridor they now stood in wearily. Her crinkled nose told Y/N that she was not all that impressed.

They both heard the familiar clunk of footsteps, and suddenly, Mad-Eye Moody had emerged from a door at the end of the hall. Out of habit, Y/N's wand was released from its holster and into his hand, which was resting at his side. He left the wand unraised, however.

"L/N and Granger, then?" he said, in that gruff voice. His dazzling blue eye swivelled towards the hand relaxed at Y/N's side, and smiled somewhat sinisterly. "I'm the real deal, boy. You can put that away. I'd even let you drink from my gord. Let me tell you, that's not a privilege I just hand out to people."

Y/N lowered his guard, and strapped his wand back to his arm. "No need. I did it out of habit."

"I hear that you constantly had your guard up around that bastard who stole my face," said Moody praisingly. "Glad to see he at least taught you properly."

The door opened again, and Ron's mother came bustling out. She looked thinner, but otherwise normal. She did not meet Y/N's eyes as she brushed past himself and Moody and engulfed Hermione in a hug.

"It's good to see you, dear. You too, L/ - Y/N." she said, as she let go of her. "You're looking peaky, but I'm afraid you'll both need to wait for dinner... we're in the middle of a meeting..."

Tonks looked irked for some reason. "I still can't believe you all started without me while I was stuck picking these two up." she huffed.

"We haven't discussed much of importance just yet." Mrs Weasley assured her. "Just Harry's stubbornness."

Y/N narrowed his eyes. "Stubbornness?" he enquired.

"Never you mind." said Moody. "Molly, I'll take Tonks back inside. Take L/N and Granger to where they'll be sleeping."

"Wait," said Y/N. "Where are we?"

"I'll let Harry and Ron tell you," said Mrs Weasley shortly. "I'm sorry, but I need to get back the meeting. Chop, chop."

Pressing her finger to her lips, she led Y/N and Hermione on tiptoes past a pair of long, moth-eaten curtains, behind which Y/N supposed there must be another door, and after skirting a large umbrella stand that looked as though it had been made from a severed troll's leg, they started up the dark staircase, passing a row of shrunken heads mounted on plaques on the wall. A closer look showed Y/N that the heads belonged to house-elves. All of them had the same rather snoutlike nose. There came an audible gasp from his side. Hermione clearly was not happy.

"Mrs Weasley, what is this place -?"

"I'll let Harry and Ron explain everything, dear. I'll take your bags to your room for you. Y/N, you'll be sleeping with the boys, so you can just take your trunk in the room with you."

As she took Hermione's trunk, they stopped on the dingy landing, opposite a door with a doorknob shaped as a serpents head.

Mrs Weasley crossed the landing, reaching a room opposite the one they were Standon in front of, opened the door and carefully placed Hermione's bag inside. Y/N thought he heard Ginny on the other side of the door, asking her mother for details on the new bag.

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