The Politics of Being a Witch

Who Doesn't Love an Awkward Dinner?

Lilah groans loudly at the stupid portrait that is yelling again. She storms toward it and it of course notices her and repeats the same insults.

"MUDBLOOD IN MY HOUSE! AND SHE IS ABNORMAL! NO DARK SKINNED PERSON SHALL LIVE IN MY HOUSE!" The portrait yells the same stupid stuff and Lilah tries to yank the cover down but it's not budging, leaving everyone in the hall to cover their ears as Lilah tries to get the cover on.

Sirius comes storming in and is about to yell at the portrait when Lilah does it for him.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU BLASTED DEVIL OF A WOMAN! NO ONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT YOUR STUPID OPINIONS! YOU ARE A RACIST BITCH THAT NO ONE LIKES SO SHUT THE FUCK UP SO WE CAN HAVE SOME PEACE!" Lee hurries forward and helps Lilah get the cover down.

"Wow, that is a lot of anger in such a small person." Tonks says with her eyes wide.

"Sirius, anyway we can burn your mother?" Lilah asks, looking at the man with a hopeful look.

"Sorry, no kiddo. I have tried, believe me." Sirius then turns and greets Harry with a hug and explains that the portrait is a parting gift from his mother.

Lilah helps Molly cook dinner, trying to get herself calm again before sitting with a bunch of people. Just before dinner is done, Liam pulls her aside to talk to her.

"We need to talk about your attitude and your amount of swearing." Liam says, leading her into a dirty sitting room.

"You could have picked a cleaner room, you know?" Lilah points out, looking around the room in disdain at all the dirt.

"Sorry, it is closest to the kitchen but we do need to talk so please stop changing the subject and talk to me, Lilah."

"About what? Me swearing at a portrait that was shouting insults that were racist in not one but two different ways? Was I supposed to just be calm about that?" Lilah demands, feeling her anger which was at a low point, start to rise again.

"I understand your frustration-" Liam starts to say before getting cut off by his niece.

"Do you? Does anyone?" Lilah demands, glaring harshly at Liam, "I have been stuck here since the end of the school year. I haven't spoken to my friends since the last day of school. Yeah, I got to see my parents but that was a shit visit. They got mad because Aunt Sophie got a better greeting than them and they didn't even realise how much they hurt me when I was a kid and they ignored me in favour of their work.

"None of you adults will tell us anything because we happen to be kids. Do you think that this war will be fought solely by adults? No, because they don't care how old a person is when they kill! Guess what type of person they are going to go after first? People like me, Uncle Liam. You can't hide me and I need to be able to protect myself. Hiding shit isn't going to help me be able to defend myself."

Liam stares at his niece in silence for a minute before sighing and sitting down on a nearby chair.

"I know that sweetie. Trust me, I do. But as your uncle and Lee's dad and the main person with knowledge of this world, I am the one who everyone puts the decisions on and you are right, hiding things from you and Lee is not helping you two. It's making you two just more sneaky about getting information. So I'll make you a deal, I will tell you two and only you two what I know about what is going on after dinner but I need you to stay calm and keep the swearing and yelling to a minimum."

"No more swearing at the portrait from hell?"

"If she insults you first, maybe one swear word but no more than one, okay?" Lilah nods her head in agreement and when Liam goes to leave the room, he is surprised when she randomly hugs him.

"I'm sorry that I have had such a bad attitude this summer. I guess being a teenager means being bad at expressing how I'm feeling." Lilah apologises.

"I understand that and all I ask is that you try to be better about expressing your emotions in a way that isn't so angry and aggressive."

The two Jordans make their way to the dining room and quickly eat the food Molly prepared, having missed the Percy mention and the tension that brought it. After dessert, when everyone is still sitting at the table full of food and conversations are starting to dissipate, Sirius opens his mouth.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked any questions about Voldemort yet, Harry." This comment turns into a tennis match between Molly and Sirius and it ends with the adults at the table deciding whether or not the kids should be allowed to listen in to what Sirius tells Harry.

"Molly, while I appreciate you looking out for all the kids, Lee is my son and Lilah my niece so I think it should be up to me if they listen in on this conversation," Liam says, and looks over at Lee and Lilah who are sitting side by side watching him carefully, "you two can stay."

Every kid who is at least 15 years old stays while Ginny, the only one under 15, has to leave and she isn't too pleased with it. Sirius and the other adults fill the teenagers in on what they know and Sirius let it slip that there is a weapon out there and before he can tell them what it is, Molly returns and sends the kids off to bed.

"That means you too, Lilah." Molly says, noticing the girl lingering in the kitchen.

"I was just going to get something to drink before heading up to bed, Mrs. Weasley." To emphasise her point, she grabs a glass and fills it with water. She leaves the room, wishing everyone a good night.