The Other Snape

Chapter 19

"So, Hermione, did you go home to your parents this year, or did McGonagall actually do something?"

Hermione smiled, a bit sadly, though. "No, I got to stay with Professor McGonagall until we came here. It was fun, though I did have to see my parents twice."

Harry smiled. "Good for you. Did you work anything out with them?"

Soon, they were actually catching up on everything Harry missed. That is until Mrs. Weasley called them down for dinner.

Then, Mrs. Black started screaming, "Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers—"

Which meant Amelia, as Harry knew, had an outlet and started screaming right back at her, "Your fathers, my @$$! Idiotic Blacks, obviously inbred, less magic—"

Sirius and Remus closed the curtains before anything else happened.

"Oh, wow," Amelia put a hand to her throat, "Hey Kreacher?"

The house-elf popped in, "Yes Miss?"

Amelia smiled, "Can I have a glass of water, please?"

He popped away, came back with a glass, and was gone again.

"I will never understand why he likes you so much!" said Sirius.

Amelia stuck her tongue out, "It's all in your words, Siri, you should know that!"

Then Amelia went to a different room, coming back right when Dinner was ready. "What, you guys forgot dessert? No problem that I got it covered."

She brought out Lindors and some cheesecake.

Remus gasped, then scrambled over the table for chocolate. "Mel!"

But she kept it out of his reach. "No. You get the last two chocolates."

She gave everyone one piece (Harry loved these chocolates) then gave the rest to Remus.

"Nearly time for bed, I think," said Mrs. Weasley on 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. Well, except for Amelia. She was leaning on her chair, only two legs on the ground. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name.

Remus, 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 quite right," said Mrs. Weasley. "You're too young."

She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched upon 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!"