Just like Brothers

Chapter 114

"What?" said Harry in disbelief, as Ginny made a noise like an angry cat.

"I know" said George in a low voice. "And it got worse. He said Dad
was an idiot to run around with Dumbledore, that Dumbledore was heading for big trouble and Dad was going to go down with him, and that he - Percy - knew where his loyalty lay and it was with the Ministry. And if Mum and Dad were going to become traitors to the Ministry he was going to make sure everyone knew he didn't belong to our family anymore. And he packed his bags the same night and left. He's living here in London now."

Harry swore under his breath. He had always liked Percy least of Ron's brothers, but he had never imagined he would say such things to Mr. Weasley.

"Mum's been in a right state," said Ginny. "You know, crying and stuff. She came up to London to try and talk to Percy but he slammed the door in her face. I dunno what he does if he meets Dad at work, ignores him, I guess."

"Shit." Harry swore.

"Yeah," George shook his head, "it's been rough."

Harry suddenly felt terrible for not asking about the absence of Percy earlier on.

Their conversation came to a sudden end as Mrs. Weasley approached them coming up the stairs.

"Oh good, you've got him." She smiled warmly, "Harry, everyone's so excited to meet you."

"Haven't I met everyone?" Harry asked.

"Oh no, Dear," Mrs. Weasley smiled, "it was a full Order meeting tonight, we're missing an odd few but for the most part everyone's here."

There was a loud crash and a yelp.

"Tonks!" cried Mrs. Weasley exasperatedly, turning to look behind her.

"I'm sorry!" wailed Tonks, who was lying flat on the floor. "It's that stupid umbrella stand, that's the second time I've tripped over -"

But the rest of her words were drowned by a horrible, earsplitting, bloodcurdling screech.

The moth-eaten velvet curtains that Walburga Black resides behind flown apart.

For a split second, it was silent and everyone held their breath.

But then there was screaming and screaming as though the old bat was being tortured.

"Shut up you miserable troll!" Sirius came storming into the hall.

The old woman was drooling, her eyes were rolling, the yellowing skin of her face stretched taut as she screamed, and all along the hall behind them, the other portraits awoke and began to yell too, so that Harry actually screwed up his eyes at the noise and clapped his hands over his ears.

"Oh look what you've done!" Sirius seethed at the portrait of Walburga, and a shouting match hence commenced.

Remus and Mrs. Weasley lurched forward and tried to tug the curtains shut over the old woman, but they would not close and she screeched louder than ever, brandishing clawed hands as though trying to tear at their faces.

"Filth! Scum! Byproducts of dirt and vileness! Halfbreeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers."

Sirius spat insults back, only stopping when Remus dragged him back and Mrs Weasley wrangled the curtains closed.

The woman—Tonks apologized over and over again, at the same time dragging the huge, heavy troll's leg back off the floor.

George went up and down the hall, stunning the other portraits like it was common practice.