Butterfly Effect ; H. Potter

61. luna and her quibbler.

Antheia woke up suddenly to Hermione shaking her awake.

"... we have to go, Mrs. Weasley's saying we're going to be late ..."

The house was filled with commotion. Antheia dressed as quickly as she could, thankful that she had packed her trunk the night before. Mrs. Black's screams ran through her ears.

"– FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS –"

Antheia hurried into Harry's room. He was still putting on his trainers.

"Here, Hermione said Hedwig returned. Are you ready?"

"Nearly. Why the screams?"

"Fred and George bewitched the trunks to fly downstairs," said Antheia hastily, "but they bumped Ginny down two flights of stairs ..."

"Is she alright?" said Harry, who wasn't very surprised.

"Yes, she's fine now," said Antheia. "But Mad-Eye's saying we have to wait for Sturgis Podmore to come, because then we'd be one guard short."

"Guard?" said Harry. "We have to go to King's Cross with a guard?"

"The Order arranged guards for the two of us," Antheia muttered.

"Why?" said Harry irritably. "I thought Voldemort was lying low. We don't need guards."

"I know, I know, but we don't have time to argue right now," said Antheia. "We have to leave soon or we'll miss the -"

"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW, PLEASE!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed and Harry seized Hedwig and stuffed her unceremoniously into her cage. Antheia grabbed his arm and rushed them down the stairs.

Mrs. Black's portrait was howling with rage but nobody was bothering to close the curtains over her; all the noise in the hall was bound to rouse her again, anyway.

"Harry, Antheia, you're to come with me and Tonks," shouted Mrs. Weasley – over the repeated screeches of "MUDBLOODS! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT!" – "Leave your trunks and owls, Alastor's going to deal with the luggage ... oh, for heaven's sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!"

A bear-like black dog had appeared at Harry's side as he was clambering over the various trunks cluttering the hall to get to Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh honestly... " said Mrs. Weasley despairingly. "Well, on your own head be it!"

She wrenched open the front door and stepped out into the weak September sunlight. Harry and the dog followed her. The door slammed behind them and Mrs. Black's screeches were cut off instantly.

"Where's Tonks?' Antheia asked, looking round as they went down the stone steps of number twelve, which vanished the moment they reached the pavement.

"She's waiting for us just up here," said Mrs. Weasley stiffly, averting her eyes from the lolloping black dog beside Harry.

An old woman greeted them on the corner. She had tightly curled gray hair and wore a purple hat shaped like a pork pie.

"Watcher, Antheia, Harry," she said, winking. "Better hurry up, hadn't we, Molly?" she added, checking her watch.

"I know, I know," moaned Mrs. Weasley, lengthening her stride, "but Mad-Eye wanted to wait for Sturgis ... if only Arthur could have got us cars from the Ministry again ... but Fudge won't let him borrow so much as an empty ink bottle these days ... how Muggles can stand traveling without magic ... "

But the great black dog gave a joyful bark and gambolled around them, snapping at pigeons and chasing its own tail. Harry couldn't help laughing. Sirius had been trapped inside for a very long time. Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips in an almost Aunt Petunia-ish way.