Shifted: Book Two

Chapter Five - A Change of Tune

"Why can't we join them?", Hazel asked as she walked back to her bedroom with Hermione and the Weasley bunch.

"They're having a meeting, I suspect it's serious, sometimes they let us join", Ginny replied.

The six made their way to the bedroom and sat in quietness, waiting for something to happen. Hazel studied the room; it was so beautifully furnished, but she felt like she didn't know much, everyone else seemed to know a lot about these people. Of course, she was told about the Order during the summer, but they didn't tell her much, they said she needed to wait to be introduced.

"Tell me more about the Order", Hazel insisted, looking at Hermione.

She glanced over at Ron who gave Hermione a sheepish shrug, then looked to Hazel.

"It's a secret society, Dumbledore founded it himself", Hermione said, sitting Hazel down beside her.

"It's to oppose- Voldemort, and his army", she continued, almost choking at Voldemort's name.

"But this doesn't explain why I couldn't speak to Harry... why didn't Dumbledore want Harry to know about this?", Hazel asked, her attention now being drawn to Ron, who threw on a jumper for extra warmth.

"Dumbledore thought that, by keeping Harry away, he wouldn't draw Voldemort's attention to him", Ron answered, looking slightly glum.

The bunch of kids sat in silence for a moment or two, before George got out of his seat and walked over to a small radio just above the fireplace. He turned the knob and music started to speak out of it. A familiar tune began to play.

'Just a small town girl'...

"What is this?", Fred asked, his eyes squinted at the unfamiliar song.

'Livin in a lonely world'...

"Not a clue, Freddie, anyone heard of this?", George replied, scanning everyone's faces around the room.

'She took the midnight train goin anywhere'...

"I quite like it, whatever it is", Ron admitted, his glum grin turning happier as he started to subtly nod his head to the rhythm of the beat, though he was a bit out as he didn't quite know the song.

'Just a city boy'...

"I've never heard of this before", Ginny admitted.

'Born and raised in south Detroit'...

Hazel and Hermione exchanged familiar looks; their eyes lit up to the male singer, they both recognised the song, anyone from the muggle world would be completely mad if they didn't know this song!

"Well, what is it? You both seem to know!", George asked.

'He took the midnight train goin anywhere'...

Hazel and Hermione clasped hands and threw them up in the air as the chorus played; they sung at the very top of their lungs and jumped on the spot, they twirled each other around and danced loosely and freely.

"Don't stop believin!", Hazel and Hermione sung, their smiles printed across their faces as the four Weasley siblings watched them in awe and slight confusion.

"Hold on to the feelin!", Hazel sung, even louder, with her other hand impersonating a microphone.

The two continued to dance and giggle to the song as it blasted through the wooden walls of the house.

"It's Journey! Come on, get up and dance!", Hermione insisted, taking Ginny's hand and bringing her up as Hazel grabbed Fred and George and twirled them round and round like ballerinas with two left feet.

Journey's classic tune consumed the atmosphere as the kids jumped up and down, throwing their hands in the air and shaking their heads; Ron even got on his knees and pretended to play the air guitar.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen, the so-called important meeting was interrupted by the song. The distant sound of the song, mixed with the jocund footsteps of the kids dancing upstairs, distracted the Order.

"What is that song", Kingsley asked, his voice deep and questioning.

"No idea, but it's a good tune, I'll give them that", Sirius admitted, swiftly focusing back on the discussion.

Molly called upstairs, asking them to turn the music down, in which the kids listened and did just that.

"They must be talking about something important", Ron suggested.

"Let's find out then", Fred replied with a mischievous smirk wiped across his face.

They gathered at the top of the stairs on the second floor and lowered an extendable ear; a device the Weasley twins created themselves. The ear reached the ground and sat just outside the closed door, they stayed silent and listened to their discussion from above. The dialogue was slightly muffled, but still clear enough that their words could be heard.

"When is Harry going to arrive? Their first day back at Hogwarts starts tomorrow!", Molly asked, slightly concerned.

"He'll be arriving tonight. We'll be sending Tonks, Kingsley, and Mad-Eye to get him", Remus reassured.

Hazel's ears perked up to that sentence: "he'll be arriving tonight". Hazel hadn't seen nor heard from Harry since they left Hogwarts before summer, she missed his face, his voice, his presence.

"And what about his expulsion? Surely, we can't actually allow the boy to be expelled from Hogwarts!", Molly continued, her voice sounding even more worried now.

"Expelled?", the kids called out, too loud that the kitchen went silent.

Fred swiftly retrieved his extendable ear as they all raced down to the kitchen door. Just has Hazel was about to twist the handle, Tonks greeted them on the other side.

"Eavesdropping again? Boys, hand it over", Arthur spoke as he pointed to Fred and George, who walked in the kitchen to hand over their extendable ear, Hazel, Hermione, Ron and Ginny following behind.

"Why is Harry expelled? You can't allow this to happen!", Hermione pleaded, clutching her arms together.

Sirius placed his hands out and reassured them all with his calm hand gestures.

"He was caught using the Patronum spell in front of a muggle, who we believe was Dudley. The ministry found out and sent him an expulsion letter", Remus answered, his voice sounding serious.

"Don't worry about Harry, he won't be getting expelled, not on my watch", Moody said, as he rose out of his seat and grabbed his walking stick.

Hazel hadn't seen Moody after he was trapped in the confined box Barty Crouch Jr kept him in during the tournament, his voice sounded raspy.

"Harry won't be expelled, we are sorting this out. Now, how about you all go back upstairs and play some music, quieter this time, alright?", Molly suggested, guiding them out again.

"And no more extendable ears, boys", she finished, pointing at Fred and George.

The kids were hurried out once again, with concerned expression on their faces. They headed back upstairs and waited.