Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(94) Expelled

The past few days had seemed like everyone in the Order was on edge. The adults barely had time at all to joke around like the first few weeks of being cooped up in the house. More unfamiliar looking people were now walking in and out of headquarters and meetings were now being held more frequently in the dining room, which meant that they had to keep up with trying to get their hands on information themselves. Unfortunately, Mrs. Weasley had caught the twins and Ron, eavesdropping from the banister that one evening, and had exploded angrily at them.

Imperturbable Charms were now casted around the dining room, making the Extendable Ears practically useless when they did. But sometimes, out of great immediacy, they would forget. And those were the times they could ever get anything useful.

What they knew so far was that Julien was indeed going to be inducted in to operations, and that Charlie was to return to Romania in a couple of days to check up on correspondents. They also learned a tad bit about Fudge's paranoia regarding Dumbledore, and that the headmaster is now slowly getting all his prestige titles stripped away.

Mrs. Weasley seemed to have made it a more frequent habit to fly off the handle because of the twins. Florence couldn't really blame her, as they seemed to be using their Apparation skills almost everywhere. Up and down the house, from one room to another. One night in particular, the boys had received a proper scolding due to the fact that they had accidentally set off a stash of what appeared to be Sirius' confiscated dungbombs in one of the kitchen cupboards, because they thought it would be more convenient to move it with their wands than to actually carry them. The kitchen reeked of shit for days on end, and Molly had to go use Tonks' kitchen to make meals, and brought them over after she was finished.

Florence's seventeenth birthday also came up, however that same day they were flooded with news about Harry Potter being suspended due to using magic infront of a muggle, who was his cousin, Dudley, the two of them allegedly attacked by a Dementor. Jane had promised Florence that she would make up for it, once she finished off with trying to persuade the Ministry to reconsider the punishments of the said improper use of magic. Sirius was livid, to say the least, going off about how his use of magic was necessary because his life was under threat. Everyone who couldn't quite do anything just paced about the house, worried sick about Harry, and completely forgetting about Florence's birthday.

Except maybe Fred and George, who had given her a little firework show in her room, after getting the product right this time.

Not that she blamed anyone for being busy, she completely understood. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel down about it.

"Aw, cheer up, love." Fred consoled, noticing the rather down look on her features, "I'm sure they didn't mean to get so caught up in stuff."

"Yeah," George agreed, "They're just concerned for Harry, is all."

"I know. And I'm fine with it, seriously. I understand. Besides, I've had sixteen tremendously amazing birthday parties, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if I had one year without a celebration at all."

"That's my girl." Fred offered her a small smile, before his eyes lit up in realization, "Oh, but your mum brought these over when she arrived from your house this morning." he took out two carefully wrapped parcels from under her bed, "We found them on the counter right before everyone started panicking. It had your name on it, so, we brought them up."

"I know who these are from," she smiled, recognizing the handwriting on the cards attached to it. "Xander's," she pointed at the one wrapped in blue, "And Nicolai's," she pointed to the one wrapped in dark purple.

"Atleast they remembered," Fred pointed out.

"They should remember. Otherwise, I'd have to disown them when we get back to Hogwarts," Florence joked, peeling the wrapping paper from Xander's box and taking a look inside, before shutting the box back up again, putting it aside, "I'll, er, open these later, I guess."