star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER ONE

Just a week and a half after arriving home from Hogwarts, Arabella, her siblings, and Hermione were all packing to leave. Arthur and Molly had told them they would be temporarily moving out of the Burrow for the summer holiday. When the children asked why, they only said that it was safer for them at this new location, though they wouldn't disclose where it was.

They were all still reeling over the argument that had ensued between Percy and Arthur the day before. Percy had come home and told them all that he had been promoted to Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic. He seemed all too proud of it, but Arthur, and the rest of the family for that matter, were not happy about it. Arthur didn't hesitate to tell his son that Fudge had likely promoted him as a ploy to spy on the family because they were known to be close to Albus Dumbledore. Percy did not like this at all and went on to say that it was stupid of Arthur to associate himself with Dumbledore and betray the Ministry of Magic. He then said that he was going to remain loyal to the Ministry and if his parents refused to do so as well, he would make sure everyone knew he wasn't apart of the family. And then, before anyone could protest, he stormed out of the house and got an apartment in London.

While when it came down to it, Percy had always been Arabella's least favorite sibling, she had gotten along with him better than the rest of her siblings got along with him. She had believed that while Percy was very ambitious, he would always put the family before anything else. So when he proved her wrong, it both broke her heart and angered her beyond words.

To get to this new place they would be living at, the Weasleys went into town and called a few Muggle taxis. The taxis took them to a place near to this new location, but not quite there, so they walked the rest of the way. Molly and Arthur stopped them in front of a row of townhouses. They had arrived.

"How is this safer than back home?" Ginny questioned, looking around at the Muggle neighborhood.

"These Muggles really are dense," Ron said, squinting his eyes at the house numbers. "They skipped 12!"

"Congratulations, Ron. You've learned how to count," Arabella said sarcastically.

"Arthur, let's get on with it before our children kill each other on a Muggle street!" Molly urged.

"Right, right," Arthur said, reaching into his pocket. He took out a slip of parchment and faced his children. "You've got to memorize what's on this parchment." He handed it to Fred. "Pass it on when you've finished."

They did as they were told, memorizing the single sentence before passing it to the next person. Arabella took a few moments and then handed it to Ginny.

The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.

Ron and Arabella exchanged a confused look. As far as they could tell, there was no number twelve. However, after Hermione finished reading the parchment, 12 Grimmauld Place appeared right before their eyes.

"Bloody hell," they muttered.

Molly and Arthur ushered them all inside of the house, which looked like it hadn't been cleaned in at least a decade.

"And here I was thinking I'd never see a place more messy than your room," Ginny said to Ron and Arabella, who glared at her.

"Oh, and before any of you have a panic attack at the sight of him," Arthur spoke, his eyes on his children, "Sirius Black is innocent."