Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

73

The three of them proceeded through the Leaky Cauldron where they found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet. 

"Harry! How are you?" Mr. Weasley said putting down his paper. 

"Fine thanks, did they catch him?" Harry asked Mr. Weasley. 

"No, they've pulled all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far." Mr. Weasley explained to them. 

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron, "it'd be good to get some more money--" 

"Ronald Weasley, don't be ridiculous. Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back." Mr. Weasley said, firmly. Before saying another word, Mrs. Weasley entered the bar laden with bags as he followed by the twins, Percy, who was showing off that he was head boy, and Ginny. 

"Hermione!" Fred said making his way over towards her and taking her hand and shaking it wild (thankfully not knocking over Crookshanks), "simply splendid to see you--" 

"Marvelous," Said George as he pushed Fred to the side and seized Hermione's hand in turn, "Absolutely spiffing." 

Hermione blurted out laughing as she shook her head. 

"That's enough now," Miss Weasley said before being surrounded by the twins pretending to not have seen her for a while. 

Dinner was an enjoyable affair. Tom put three tables together for the seven Weasleys, Harry, Grandma Elka and Hermione  ate their way through five delicious courses. 

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" Fred asked, digging into a sumptuous chocolate pudding. 

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars." said Mr. Weasley. Everyone looked up at him, bewildered at why the Ministry was doing that. 

"Why?" Percy asked, curiously. 

"It's because of you, Perce." George said seriously, "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them--" 

"For Humongous Bighead," Fred finished. Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding. 

"So why is the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again. 

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore-- and as I work there, they're doing me a favor--" Mr. Weasley explained to them. 

After dinner, everyone proceeded back to their rooms. Once Hermione was done with packing her things, which wasn't much, she headed over towards Ron and Harry's rooms to help them pack. When she was entering the room, she came across Percy scowling at Ron and Ron firing back about the Head Boy Badge which was lost. Harry was shrugging his shoulders, staring in defeat. 

"What's going on here?" Hermione blurted out. 

"My Head Boy Badge is gone." Percy shot at her. 

"So's Scabbers's rat tonic, I think I might've left it in the bar--" Ron started when Percy rounded on him. 

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" 

"Harry and I'll go find Scabbers's stuff," Hermione claimed before grabbing Harry by his jacket and hurrying downstairs to avoid the argument between the two. They were halfway down the passageway with Harry thanking her for getting him out of there when they heard three voices that sounded like Grandma Elka, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. 

"... makes no sense not to tell him,' Mr. Weasley was saying, "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and--" 

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" Mrs. Weasley shouted shrilly, "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For Heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!" 

"There's a difference between making him miserable and making sure he's on guard to protect himself, Molly. If this was with Hermione, I would tell her straight out, because I wouldn't want to take any chances." Grandma Elka stated. 

"Really, Elka? That's funny coming from you, keeping secrets from her about her--" 

"Hey! My keeping those secrets from Hermione are different from avoiding telling Harry there's a chance an ex-convict may or may not be after him. Which I still seriously doubt there's anything to worry about." Elka claimed. 

"You seriously think he's innocent?" Molly shrieked. 

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Grandma Elka shot at them. 

"Can we get back on topic?" Mr. Weasley said, "Molly, you know what those three are like, wandering by themselves-- the've even ended up in the Forbidden Forest! Harry or anyone for that matter, mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him." 

"But he's not dead, he's fine! Besides, he'll be perfectly safe at Hogwarts--" 

"Ha! You guys thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. I'm telling you guys there are more breakouts from Azkaban than we know, but the Ministry covers it up." Elka stated to them. 

"And if Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts." Mr. Weasley pointed out, "and I've told you Molly, Fudge had actually went to Azkaban the night Black escaped and the guards told him that Black's been talking in his sleep always saying, 'He's at Hogwarts... He's at Hogwarts'. Black is deranged and he wants Harry Dead..." 

"Now that part I don't know about," Elka spoke up. 

"Elka, please...." Mr. Weasley pleaded with her. 

"And what about Albus Dumbledore? I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster. I suppose he know about all this?" Mrs. Weasley asked them. 

"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it but he agreed." Mr. Weasley stated to them. 

"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?" Mrs. Weasley said. 

"Are you kidding? No one is happy around those guys... they suck the joy out of everything... wait, they're going to be at Hogwarts?" Grandma Elka asked them. 

"Yes, Elka, they are. Guess one of your secrets you've been wanting to keep away from Hermione may come out this year." Mrs. Weasley taunted Elka. 

"It's late, guys we'd better go up...." Mr. Weasley yawned. Hermione and Harry scurried down the passage to the bar. Harry found the bottle under the table they had sat at earlier. 

"Honestly, Ron is extremely forgetful. I think we'll have to staple his stuff on his robe," Hermione mumbled as they hurried back to their room. Harry and Hermione quickly headed to Ron's room where they found Fred and George giggling to themselves as they proved to have stolen the badge that now read Bighead Boy before Harry gave Ron the rat tonic and headed towards his room. 

"Harry," Hermione called out to him as he was slipping through the doorway, "you have nothing to worry about. With Dumbledore at the school, Black won't hurt you." 

"You're right, Hermione. If all else fails, the three of us will make sure I'm not going to be murdered." Harry assured her. 

"That's the spirit, dear." the mirror from inside said sleepily. Hermione and Harry giggled before Hermione made her way towards her room, wondering what her Mrs. Weasley meant with a secret will get out soon.