UnExpected

Chapter 7

The moment he had arrived, Harry knew the place wasn't going to improve his mood. It was dark, dank, and depressing. The day hadn't exactly started well to begin with either: attacked by Dementors; kicked out of Hogwarts and dragged to who knows what part of the country; being told to keep his mouth shut until they arrived at a place where it looked like death had warmed over; and then being shoved up a stairway without a single explanation. Oh yeah, it was the bestest day ever!

Harry had held some hope with Ron and Hermione, they would tell him what was going on, being his best friends and all. Yeah, well, all of that hope went to pot when he found out they had also been keeping him in the dark all this time, because Dumbledore had told them so, but they were ready with the excuses; telling him that they didn't know all that much either, but it was snot is what it was. Harry was quick to tell them that at least they had been here, together, the past couple of weeks; happy and careless while he was stuck at his uncle's being miserable. Without a letter, a note, anything! Why were they allowed in the club when he wasn't even offered a membership? He's faced more than the two of them. Saved the Philosopher's Stone, killed a basilisk, got rid of Tom Riddle and faced off against Voldemort. Saved their skins time and time again, risking his own life to do so. All the facts he was quick to remind them of when he screamed at them, loud enough for the whole world to hear. But all that really accomplished was a sore throat because the anger still lay bubbling inside him.

Now the three of them were hanging over the banister looking at the people down below. After Mrs. Weasley had informed them that dinner was ready, they trailed off to the landing. That's when Ron had pointed out that there were still a few people from the Order in the hallway. So, along with Fred and George and their Extendable Ears, they gathered over the railing trying to catch a floating word on what the meeting was about. Slowly the group below them thinned away, taking their hope of finding anything with them. The only ones left were Remus, Tonks, Mrs. Weasley and two other occupants he didn't recognize. One was an older woman that looked vaguely familiar and the other one was suspiciously covered. Their voices drifted up and Harry tried to map the tones to his memory, especially the one with the black hood. It sounded feminine, sweet even. He felt as though the answer was staring him in the face, but he couldn't grasp a hold of it. Slowly the figure turned a quarter of an inch to their right, to face the other woman, and for a split second, Harry caught sight of a few golden strands and a profile before she turned her back to him again. His breath hitched and his eyes widened in surprise. It's not...it couldn't be...could it?

Harry's undecided eyes watched as the unknown pair were escorted out the door by Remus while his mind continued arguing against itself.

"Harry," Hermione called worriedly, her eyes trailing to what had captured his attention.

"What?" he asked dazedly, his eyes remaining on the doorway.

"What are you staring at?" Ron asked him.

"Nothing, I just thought..." Wishful thinking is what he thought, but it couldn't be. Must've been someone else. He shook his head and finally faced away from his self-imposed trance. "It's nothing. Doesn't matter."

Ron and Hermione shared a look, knowing what had caught his attention. It was the same mystery stranger they still hadn't been able to figure out either, and by the looks of it, his guess was the same as theirs.

"We're eating down in the kitchen," Mrs. Weasley whispered as they met her at the bottom of the stairs. "Harry, if you could just tiptoe across, it's right through –"

Whatever she was about to say was caught off by a loud crash and her exasperated 'Tonks!' shout. Followed soon after by the tails of a blood-curdling screech. With his hands over his ears, Harry watched as ragged velvet curtains flew open to reveal an old woman screaming at the top of her lungs as though she were being tortured. Saying some of the most unpleasant things he has ever heard, and he's heard some bad ones living with the Dursleys, most of them directed at him.