The Other Black Book 6

Chapter 4 - An Excess of Phlegm

"You alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked as soon as Aurora appeared. "You were in a right state last year."

"She's talking again at least," Ron said.

Aurora rolled her eyes a little. "I already had breakfast."

"Perfect, come on." Ginny pulled Aurora up to where Fred and George's room once was. Now, it seemed, it was Harry's.

"Aura, hey!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hey Hermione," Aurora said, but her wave was cut short as Hermione wrapped her in a hug.

"Did you see her, Aura?" Hermione asked, looking at Ron and Ginny.

"See who?"

"You'd know. Why'd she hide from you?"

"She just wasn't there, and I wanted to get Aura out of there," Ginny said. "Last thing we need is 'Oh Aura, look at you! Eet's been a long time!'" She said the last bit in a tone that sounded like a mock-version of a French accent.

"Fleur's here," Harry said, looking at Aurora. "She brought me my tray. She and Bill are engaged," he added, looking at Aurora's confusion.

"And none of you like her?" Aurora asked.

"She's a cow," Ginny said.

"Don't you get used to her if she's staying in the same house?" Aurora asked.

"Well, you do," said Ron, "but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then . . ."

"It's pathetic," said Hermione furiously, striding away from Ron as far as she could go and turning to face him with her arms folded once she had reached the wall.

"You don't really want her around forever?" Ginny asked Ron incredulously. When he merely shrugged, she said, "Well, Mum's going to put a stop to it if she can, I bet you anything."

"How's she going to manage that?" asked Harry.

"She keeps trying to get Tonks round for dinner. I think she's hoping Bill will fall for Tonks instead. I hope he does, I'd much rather have her in the family."

"Yeah, that'll work," said Ron sarcastically. "Listen, no bloke in his right mind's going to fancy Tonks when Fleur's around. I mean, Tonks is okay-looking when she isn't doing stupid things to her hair and her nose, but —"

"She's a damn sight nicer than Phlegm,'' said Ginny.

"And she's more intelligent, she's an Auror!" said Hermione from the corner.

"Fleur's not stupid, she was good enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry.

"Not you as well!" said Hermione bitterly.

"I suppose you like the way Phlegm says ''Arry,' do you?" asked Ginny scornfully.

"No," said Harry, "I was just saying, Phlegm — I mean, Fleur —"

"I'd much rather have Tonks in the family," said Ginny. "At least she's a laugh."

"She hasn't been much of a laugh lately," said Ron. "Every time I've seen her she's looked more like Moaning Myrtle."

"That's not fair," snapped Hermione. "She still hasn't got over what happened . . . you know . . . I mean, he was her cousin!"

Harry picked up a fork and began shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth.

"Tonks and Sirius barely knew each other!" said Ron. "Sirius was in Azkaban half her life and before that their families never met —"

"That's not the point," said Hermione. "She thinks it was her fault he died!"