Eagleeye

Chapter 3: Trust

Chapter 3: Trust

Another visit to the Evans household. This time, Dementors appeared. Lily, Rose, and I managed to fend them off. I was surprised that Lily knew the Patronus Charm. The fact that her's was a doe was a bit of a shock as it compliments James's stag... perhaps there's hope for those two yet. If James can deflate his ego first anyway.

**

"Surprised she's still here, to be perfectly honest," Leo remarked.

"We've been trying to get her down for a month but we think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas. Been trying to convince Cas to freeze it over so we can't hear her, but he says he can't. Personally, I think he just enjoys arguing with her," Sirius replied with a roll of his eyes. "Let's get downstairs, quick, before they all wake up again."

They all traipsed down the stairs into the kitchen, where Leo was quite pleased to see that it was just as clean as when he had left it two years ago. There was, however, a marked difference this time around. A haze of pipe smoke hung in the air like battle fumes, through which loomed the menacing shapes of heavy iron pots and pans hanging from the dark ceiling. Many chairs had been crammed into the room for the meeting and a long wooden table stood in the middle of the room, littered with rolls of parchment, goblets, empty wine bottles, and a heap of what appeared to be rags. Mr. Weasley and his eldest son, Bill, were talking quietly with their heads together at the end of the table.

Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat. Her husband, a thin, balding, red-haired man, who wore horn-rimmed glasses, looked around and jumped to his feet.

"Harry! Leo!" Mr. Weasley said, hurrying forward to greet them and shaking each of their hands vigorously. "Good to see you both!"

Over his shoulder Leo saw Bill, who still wore his long hair in a ponytail, hastily rolling up the lengths of parchment left on the table.

"How'd you two get here?" Bill called, trying to gather up twelve scrolls at once. "Sirius and I have a bet – he says Portkey and I said flying."

"Looks like Uncle Siri wins the bet," Leo chuckled.

"Damn, I was hoping the former Quidditch player would choose broomsticks," Bill huffed, vanishing the scrolls with a tap of his wand.

"Nah, flying's too open for Cas. Portkey's his preferred method if he's bringing people with him or needs to get somewhere fast," Sirius grinned, catching the gold Galleon Bill flipped at him.

"Shouldn't have made that bet, Bill," Remus shook his head as he sat down. "Sirius knows Cas better than anyone – even after almost fifteen years apart."

"My brother has always been somewhat predictable," Sirius shrugged as he sat down next to Remus. "I used to be able to predict when he'd arrive places – figure it might be the 'twin sense'. But I reckon the ability has waned considerably over the years -"

"Well, go on, try it," Leo said eagerly, sitting across from him. "Let's see if you've still got it." 

"All right," Sirius frowned and took on a look of intense concentration. "I predict he'll be here in three... two... one -"

They all jumped in surprise when they heard muffled footsteps above them. Sirius tried to hide his expression of shock as Cas came down the stairs, instead grinning broadly and winking at Leo. His smile fell when they saw the expression on the man's face. He looked irritated, his eyes narrowed as he peered through the smoke before he glared at the pile of rags on the table.

"Mundungus," he growled. "What have I said about smoking in my house?"

The thing Leo had taken to be a pile of rags gave a prolonged, grunting snore and then jerked awake.