Suffocating In Darkness

Chapter 3

We approached the back door of the Burrow, which was surrounded by the familiar litter of old Wellington boots and rusty cauldrons; I could hear the soft clucking of sleepy chickens coming from a distant shed. Dumbledore knocked three times and I saw sudden movement behind the kitchen window.

"Who's there?" said a nervous voice I recognized as Mrs. Weasley's. "Declare yourself!"

"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry and Melissa."

The door opened at once. There stood Mrs. Weasley, short, plump, and wearing an old green dressing gown.

"Harry, Melissa, dear! Gracious, Albus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning!"

"We were lucky," said Dumbledore, ushering Harry over the threshold. "Slughorn proved much more persuadable than I had expected. Melissa's doing, of course. Ah, hello, Nymphadora!"

I looked around and saw that Mrs. Weasley was not alone, despite the lateness of the hour. A young witch with a pale, heart-shaped face and mousy brown hair was sitting at the table clutching a large mug between her hands.

"Hello, Professor," she said. "Wotcher, Harry, Melissa."

"Hi, Tonks."

I thought she looked drawn, even ill, and there was something forced in her smile. Certainly her appearance was less colorful than usual without her customary shade of bubble-gum-pink hair.

"Tonks!" I said happily giving her a hug which she returned.

"Wotcher Minnie!" Tonks said as we parted. "Loving the new look."

"Thanks, you gotta look tough in youth hostiles." I smiled.

"I'd better be off," she said quickly, pulling her cloak around her shoulders. "Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Molly."

"Please don't leave on my account," said Dumbledore courteously, "I cannot stay, I have urgent matters to discuss with Rufus Scrimgeour."

"No, no, I need to get going," said Tonks, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes. "'Night..."

"Dear, why not come to dinner at the weekend, Remus and Mad-Eye are coming... ?"

"No, really, Molly... thanks anyway... Goodnight, every-one."

Tonks hurried past us into the yard; a few paces beyond the doorstep, she turned on the spot and vanished into thin air. I noticed that Mrs. Weasley looked troubled.

"Well, I shall see you at Hogwarts, Harry, Melissa," said Dumbledore. "Take care of yourself. Molly, your servant."

He made Mrs. Weasley a bow and followed Tonks, vanishing at precisely the same spot. Mrs. Weasley closed the door on the empty yard and then steered Harry by the shoulders into the full glow of the lantern on the table to examine his appearance, I could tell the same would happen to me in a minute.

"You're like Ron," she sighed, looking him up and down. "Both of you look as though you've had Stretching jinxes put on you. I swear Ron's grown four inches since I last bought him school robes and you've grown Melissa."

"No, just had a bit of help." I said taking off my boots briefly to show I'm still not that tall, I quickly put them back on though.

"Are you hungry, Harry and you Melissa?"

"Yeah, I am," said Harry, suddenly realizing just how hungry he was.

"Sit down, dears, I'll knock something up."

"Oh thank you Mrs Weasley." I smiled.

As I sat down, a furry ginger cat with a squashed face lumped onto my knees and settled there, purring.