Twisted Tales

The Hearing

The adults stick the children and Sirius with continuing the cleaning efforts. Sirius seems as displeased with this task as I am. He skulks around, shooting spells at various pieces of furniture and on more than one occasion lighting curtains on fire. After a few choice words with Mr. Weasley and Lupin, he now spends most of his time shut up in the top bedroom with Buckbeak, the hippogriff he was able to escape Hogwarts on. When I'm not up there with him, I take pleasure in setting particularly nasty creatures on Fred and George. They seem to get as much of a kick out of it as me, often sending their own menaces my way.

Grimmauld Place is remarkably different from where I usually spend my summers. There's a cheeriness here that is stifled at the Malfoy Manor. I do quite miss the trips through the garden and picnics by the lake though. Draco and I tend to spend our time away from his parents, playing games of wizard chess by the firelight in his sitting room or curled together on the soft leather sofa, one reading quietly to the other. Lucius and Narcissa hardly seem to mind, inviting us down to lavish dinners and the occasional game of two on two quidditch. There have even been times I've seen Lucius genuinely smile, but those are few and far between, and only if Draco and I can manage to catch him off guard.

Being shut inside all day is beginning to grate on my nerves, taking my already sharp tongue and explosive temper to a new level. The occupants of number twelve have quickly learned to give me a wide berth after particularly long days of cleaning. On those occasions, it's typically suggested I bring Sirius food or keep him company, as he seems to be the only one able and willing to row with me until I've grown exhausted.

As August the 12th, the date of Harry's hearing at the Ministry, grows closer, the environment within the house becomes nearly unbearable, nerves palpable in the stale air. Mrs. Weasley has done her best to split us all up, not wanting gossip to circulate. Today I've been paired up with Sirius, the two of us meant to clear out a rather nasty infestation of doxies in a third-floor bedroom.

"Were you able to see Draco at all over break?" Sirius questions as we break for sandwiches. He isn't particularly fond of the idea of me fraternizing with the likes of the Malfoy's but knows better than to share his opinion too often.

Grimacing at a rather moldy looking piece of bread, I shove the lunch plate away from me, "No. Been too busy listening to the squib babble on about all the dangers that lurk out her door."

"It was for a good cause," Sirius answers back absentmindedly. His faith in the cause has been dwindling with every passing day that he's tasked with the cleanup effort instead of actual Order business.

Scoffing, I lean against a mirrored armoire we cleared of mold earlier today, "Good cause? The Order is in shambles, everyone scrambling around, trying to figure out what the hell Dumbledore wants them to be doing. I've had Order members whispering in my ears before I even knew what a wand was, everyone terrified that if they left me alone for even a second I'd turn into him. Even now, I see the way they look at me; nervous side glances, their voices dropping to whispers when I walk by. Can I tell you something, something just between us?"

"Not sure anyone would listen even if I wanted to tell."

"I'm beginning to wonder if this is the right way."

One of Sirius' bushy eyebrows arches, his eyes now settling on me with a sincere look of interest, "I suppose you think you've got a better idea."

"I'm just not sure inaction and secrecy is the best way. Harry's got his hearing in less than a week and everyone's acting like if they don't mention it it'll just go away. The boy needs to know what's going on, to be prepared. Fudge is waging a war against him and he's busy cleaning curtains."