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Bill Weasley stood on the doorstep of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, not sure if he wanted to knock or barge in. He rocked onto the heels of his boots, and then decided on a combination. He banged twice on the door, and then pushed it open. He was met with screams.
"Shut- the bloody hell- up!" Sirius Black dashed into the hall and furiously pulled the curtain shut over his mother's portrait. "Ruddy- foul-" he turned to Bill and didn't finish his sentence. "What's up, Weasley?"
"Where's Moody?" Bill said flatly.
"In the kitchen- how did you know he'd be here?"
"Doesn't matter."
Bill slipped past Sirius and started down the hall towards the kitchen. When he got there, he was pleased to see that both Moody and Lupin were sitting at the table. He could knock out two birds with one stone. Both men looked up, startled, when Bill stormed in. They were used to him being mild mannered and easygoing. They'd never seen him this angry before. "What were you thinking?" he demanded.
"Sorry?" Lupin looked perplexed.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You can't send her on a mission this soon after she left school- what the hell were you thinking?" He gripped the back of the chair in front of him until his knuckles turned white.
"Lower your voice, boy," Moody growled. "You weren't supposed to know about the mission."
Bill let out a strained laugh. "Oh- so you thought we would all just let her disappear like nothing happened?" He let go of the chair and started pacing back and forth, unable to stay still. "It's been three days, you know. I haven't heard from her, have you? And my mum's going mad and- and I'm going mad- and if she gets hurt, it's on your hands, you know that, right?"
"Slow down," Lupin said softly. "Have some faith in Eleanora."
"Slow- I- How can you be so calm? She could be anywhere- do you even know where she is?"
Moody and Lupin shifted uncomfortably. "We have a... rough idea," said Moody.
"Idea of what?" Sirius had joined them, having successfully quieted the portrait of his mother. Lupin raised his eyebrows and Sirius instantly caught on. "Ahhh, the mission."
Bill rounded on him, incredulous. "You knew about it too?"
Sirius shrugged guiltily. "I live at headquarters, I know everything." He pulled out a few bottles of butterbeer and offered one to Bill, who declined.
He turned back to Moody and Lupin with a scowl. "What even is this 'mission'? Why was it so important that she was the one to go? You could've chosen anyone else- hell- I would've gone!"
"I know you would've," Lupin said, still as calm as ever. "Believe me, I didn't like sending our youngest member on a dangerous mission, but it was necessary. See, we needed someone who-"
