Ethereal

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The Order of The Phoenix

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Down in the basement, Mrs. Weasley had hung a scarlet banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read CONGRATULATIONS RON AND HERMIONE - NEW PREFECTS. She looked in a better mood than Cassie had seen her all holiday.

"I thought we'd have a little party, not a sit-down dinner," she told Harry, Ron, Sadie, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny as they entered the room. "Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron. I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled," she added, beaming.

Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Lina and Kingsley Shacklebolt were already there and Mad-Eye Moody stumped in shortly after Sadie got herself a butterbear.

 Mrs. Weasley was in such a good mood she did not even complain that they had brought Mundungus with them. He was wearing a long overcoat that seemed oddly lumpy in unlikely places and declined the offer to remove it and put it with Moody's travelling cloak.

"Well, I think a toast is in order," said Mr. Weasley, when everyone had a drink. He raised his goblet. "To Ron and Hermione, the new Gryffindor prefects!"

Ron and Hermione beamed as everyone drank to them, and then applauded.

"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly from behind Harry as everybody moved towards the table to help themselves to food. Her hair was tomato red and waist-length today. She looked like Ginny's older sister. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."

"Like what?" said Sadie walking over.

"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks.

Sadie and Ginny laughed, Hermione looked as though she did not know whether to smile or not and compromised by taking an extra large gulp of Butterbeer and choking on it.

"What about you, Sirius?" Sadie asked, thumping Hermione on the back. Sirius, who was right beside Harry, let out his usual bark-like laugh.

"No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."

"I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," said Lupin. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

Ron was rhapsodising about his new broom to anybody who would listen.

". . . .nought to seventy in ten seconds, not bad, is it? When you think the Comet Two Ninety's only nought to sixty and that's with a decent tailwind according to Which Broomstick?"

Hermione was talking very earnestly to Lupin about her view of elf rights.

"I mean, it's the same kind of nonsense as werewolf segregation, isn't it? It all stems from this horrible thing wizards have of thinking they're superior to other creatures. . . ."

Mrs. Weasley and Bill were having their usual argument about Bill's hair.

". . . .getting really out of hand, and you're so good-looking, it would look much better shorter, wouldn't it, Cassie?"

"Oh, I dunno," said Sadie, slightly alarmed at being asked her opinion. 

"Come join us!" Ginny called as Sadie smiled. 

"I'll be there in a second," Sadie called, "I need to make sure everything's packed quick." Ginny nodded as Sadie crossed the kitchen, walked through the door and up the stairs before anyone could call her back.

Sadie tiptoed up the stairs in the hall past the stuffed elf-heads, but as she approached the first landing she heard noises. Someone was sobbing in the drawing room.