Tears (Sirius Black's daughter) Book 2

Chapter 3

Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on Harry's jeans was feeling uncomfortably tight (which was saying something as the jeans had once been Dudley's). As he laid down his spoon there was a lull in the general conversation: Mr Weasley was leaning back in his chair, looking replete and relaxed; Tonks was yawning widely, her nose now back to normal; and Ginny who had lured Crookshanks out from under the dresser was sitting crosslegged on the floor, rolling Butterbeer corks for him to chase. "Nearly time for bed, I think," said Mrs Weasley with a yawn.

"Not just yet, Molly," said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort." The atmosphere in the room changed with the rapidity Harry associated with the arrival of Dementors. Where seconds before it had been sleepily relaxed, it was now alert, even tense. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Lupin, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary. "I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so -" 

"And they're right!" said Mrs Weasley. "You're too young." She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched on its arms, every trace of drowsiness gone.

"Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?" asked Sirius.

"Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen—" 

"Hang on!" interrupted George loudly. 

"How come Harry gets his questions answered?" said Fred angrily. 

"We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said George. "You're too young, you're not in the Order'," said Fred in a high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's. "Harry's not even of age!"

"It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly, "that's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand -"

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" said Mrs Weasley sharply. The expression on her normally kind face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what dumbledore said I suppose?" 

"Which bit?" Sirius asked politely, but with the air of a man readying himself for a fight. Clara knowing her dad rushes over to him ready to try and hold him back. 

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know," said Mrs Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George's heads swivelled from Sirius to Mrs Weasley as though they were following a tennis rally. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned Butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open. Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius. 

"I don't intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly," said Sirius. "But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back" (again, there was a collective shudder around the table at the name) "he has more right than most to -" 

"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Mrs Weasley. "He's only fifteen and -" 

"And he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," said Sirius, "and more than some." 

"No one's denying what he's done!" said Mrs Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. "But he's still -" 

"He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently. 

"He's not an adult either!" said Mrs Weasley, the colour rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!" 

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly.