Voices (HP Fanfic)

Chapter 5: An Excess of Phlegm

"There is no friend as loyal as a book." -Ernest Hemingway

Chapter 5: An Excess of Phlegm

Third Person POV:

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

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

"It is I, Dumbledore, bringing Harry."

"See what did I tell you!" Harry heard his sister tell someone.

The door opened at once. There stood Mrs. Weasley, short, plump, and wearing an old green dressing gown. "Harry, 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. Harry's doing, of course. Ah, hello, Nymphadora!"

That must of been who his sister was telling, Harry thought to himself. He noticed his sister had a look of horror on her face. He then looked to the woman called Nymphadora or Tonks. She looked a little angry that Dumbledore called her by her full name. A young witch with a pale, heartshaped face and mousy brown hair was sitting at the table clutching a large mug between her hands, with his sister standing next to her.

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

"Hi, Tonks. Hi, Penelope."

Harry 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.

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

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

"No, no, I need to get going," Tonks said, 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 . . . Good night, everyone.

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

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

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.

"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. Are you hungry, Harry?"

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

"Sit down, dear, I'll knock something up. Penelope keep your brother company while I do." As Penelope and Harry sat down, a furry ginger cat with a squashed face jumped onto his knees and settled there, purring.