It was chaos at Mount Olympus. Percy, Annabeth and Grover were the last ones left.
"The knife, Percy," Annabeth muttered. Her breath was shallow. "Hero . . . cursed blade . . ."
He saw Kronos grasping his sword. Then he bellowed in painand dropped it. His hands were smoking and seared. The hearth fire had grown red-hot like the scythewasn't compatible with it. Percy saw an image of Hestia flickering in the ashes, frowning at Kronos withdisapproval.
Luke turned and collapsed, clutching his ruined hands.
"Please, Percy . . ."
He struggled to his feet. Percy moved toward him with the knife. "I should kill him. That was the plan." was his thoughts.
Luke seemed to know what I was thinking. He moistened his lips.
"You can't . . . can't do it yourself.He'll break my control. He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can . . . can keep himcontrolled."
"That's not what I meant Luke," Percy said softly. "You're going to survive and you're going to kiss Annabeth like you mean it."
Taking out his aspen wand, he bellowed "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
And a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound from the tip of his wand, the light soaring through the air, hit Luke instantly. The son of Hermes fell backwards and emerged from his body, like sand from the hourglass, was an abode, slowly taking its form. But Percy waited no more, with Annabeth's knife on the ground, he picked it up, and throw at right at Kronos forming body, right in his chest.
The titan howled, his eyes were now formed, glowed like lava. The throne room shook, throwing Percy off his feet. Kronos's body was now complete, and it growing brighter and brighter. He shut his eyes and felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister his skin and crack his lips.
It was silent for a long time.
When Percy opened my eyes, he saw Luke sprawled at the hearth. Pale but alive. On the floor around him was a blackenedcircle of ash. Kronos's scythe had liquefied into molten metal and was trickling into the coals of thehearth, which now glowed like a blacksmith's furnace
Luke was unconscious as he and Grover ran towards him with Annabeth.
"He's alive," Grover said as she checked his pulse.
His purple hair turned a peaceful blue
A few minutes later, he opened his eyes, slowly, with Annabeth by his side, holding his hand and Percy knelt next to him
"Do you love me?" Luke said, still looking at her.
"I. . ." Annabeth paused, then looked at Percy.
"I'll go." and Percy got up, "Come on goat boy." and walked over Grover.
"You think he'll be good to her?" said Grover, sitting on the sofa nearby.
Percy flopped down to it, took a deep breath.
"Yes, Grover. He made a mistake and its easier to forgive." Percy said, looking out at the blue sky.
A few minutes later the gods came in their full war regalia, thundering into the throne room and expecting a battle. And they almost did, when they saw Luke standing there, along with Percy, Annabeth and Grover. Luke had asked for forgiveness, and he did get it, for what he had done for and to Olympus, but he was still going to be punished, Luke will never be able to set foot to Camp Half-Blood nor Olympus. And despite all the disagreement from Percy, he accepted it.
"I made a mistake Perce and I got to accept it," Luke said. "I tried to kill you so many times and. . ." his voice broke
And despite all of it, Percy, Annabeth, Grover were all granted with a gift from the gods. Grover was the new council of the Cloven Elders ( before he passed out) Annabeth was the new architect of Olympus herself, as her wish once was to build something which will last forever. And finally, Percy, he was offered with Godhood(but a minor one), but Percy declined it, and instead, he wanted them from now on, to recognize the children of the gods, all of the, of all the gods. And they sworn on the River Styx, they all agree.
And that night, Percy was holding a broken mobile phone ("they're telephone 2.0" Annabeth explained to him) and Mrs. O leary. He would've shadow traveled but she was too tired so he's using a portkey. He was in Manhatten with Luke and Annabeth (who were now dating). To Luke and Annabeth's displeasure, Percy was leaving at his birthday to London.
"Are you sure you can't stay," Luke asked as he shook his hand.
"I can't Luke." Percy signed "I'm really sorry. It's getting really bad in London. Smear campaigns on Harry and Dumbledore, numerous attacks on mortals and dementor attacks!, it's for the best." he said as he casually produced his Patronus. A large silvery and wispy white wolf.
"That is sick," said Luke staring at the wolf. "Wish I knew magic."
Percy smiled.
"I can ask Chiron to get the demigods to fight," Annabeth whisphered. "They're willing to help. Even the Ares cabin."
Percy shook his head. "No, preferably only Hecate's children. But not all. If wizards find out 'bout demigods then they'll turn their muggles relatives and well. . .it won't end well."
"Well see ya." as the mobile seemed to glow.
"Bye Percy." Annabeth waved
Percy waved back and now, he was at the door of his family Villa in Devon, he knocked on it twice, and the door swung open with his mother hugging him. Paul was sitting in the kitchen with a coffee mug in his hand and Minnie was sobbing with joy that Percy had returned alive and even more when Mrs. O leary came and fed the hellhound so much chicken meat. Percy told Paul everything, and he received some gasped at some point, mainly when Percy dipped himself into the River Styx, while Paul just sat there, listen carefully, and from time to time he would whisper "Fascinating." just like Mr. Weasley.
Percy also received loads of letters from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. His best friends.
For his birthday, Hermione had given him a goggle for Quidditch games and Ron, Wizard Skittles. Harry was unable to send him any gift though since he has no money in his hands, but it was okay since a lot of things has happened during his birthday, he wrote in the letter. He almost got expelled from Hogwarts, the trial for using magic in front of the eyes of muggles, the Order of the Phoenix, and that's about it.
So his mother would drop Percy at headquarters while she and Paul have some alone time.
Percy and his um had just appeared to London and cast a disillusionment charm at each other.
"Here," Sally said, thrusting a piece of parchment toward Percy's hand and holding his lit wand close to it, to illuminate the writing. "Read quickly and memorize."
Percy looked down at the piece of paper.
The narrow handwriting was vaguely familiar. It said: The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
"What's the Order of the — ?" Percy began.
"Not here, Percy," Sally said calmly. "Molly will explain it to you. Think about what you've just memorized,"
And no sooner had he reached the part about number twelve, Grimmauld Place, than a battered door emerged out of nowhere between numbers eleven and thirteen, followed swiftly by dirty walls and grimy windows.
"A fidelius charm?" Percy guessed.
Sally nodded. "Correct Percy. The same one that James and Lily Potter used."
Sally pulled out his wand and tapped the door once. Harry heard many loud, metallic clicks and what sounded like the clatter of a chain. The door creaked open and Molly Weasley's face appeared.
"Percy, dear! Gracious, Sally, you frightened me, you said not to expect him before morning!'
"Sorry, Molly. But the time zone between America and Britain were rather... difficult to say." she turned to Percy. "I have too now. So take care, Percy."
"See ya mum." and Sally disapparated.
'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, dear?'
"Starvin'," Percy said.
'Sit down, dear, I'll knock something up.'
As Percy sat down, he released Atlan and the gryphon wandered off the house.
'So Hermione's here?' he asked happily
'Oh yes, she arrived a week ago,' said Mrs Weasley, rapping a large iron pot with her wand: it bounced on to the stove with a loud clang and began to bubble at once. 'Everyone's in bed, of course, we didn't expect you for hours. Here you are –'
She tapped the pot again; it rose into the air, flew towards Harry and tipped over; Mrs Weasley slid a bowl neatly beneath it just in time to catch the stream of thick, steaming tomato soup.
'Bread, dear?'
'Can I have toast, Mrs Weasley?'
"Sure." She waved her wand over her shoulder; a loaf of bread and a knife soared gracefully on to the table. she then heated them and handed it to him.
"Thanks. Mrs Weasley what is the Order of Phoenix and what is this place?."
Mrs Weasley hesitated but told anyway. This house belonged to Sirius, which was now headquarters for the order. The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation founded by Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers and that was all she could tell him saying that he was too young. When Percy started to feel rather drowsy, Mrs Weasley
She led him on tiptoes past a pair of long, moth-eaten curtains, behind which Percy supposed there must be another door, they started up the dark staircase, passing a row of shrunken heads and entered an empty bedroom. Percy bid Mrs Weasley goodnight put on pyjamas and got into one of the bed.
Seconds later, or so it seemed to Percy, he was woken by what sounded like cannon-fire as the door burst open. Sitting bolt upright, he grabbed his wand and pointed it at Ron.
'We didn't know you were here already!' Ron said excitedly.
'Ron, don't scare him!' said Hermione's voice reproachfully.
Ron merely shook it off and asked. 'All right?'
'Never been better,' said Percy. "Where's Harry?"
"Right here." And Percy saw Harry coming. He was taller now, an inch shorter an average and his hair were even messier. 'How's America.'
Percy shrugged yawning. "Alright. I supposed."
"Mum says get up," Ron said. "Your breakfast is in the kitchen."
Over the next few days, Percy could not help noticing that there was one person within number twelve, Grimmauld Place, who did not seem wholly overjoyed that Harry would be returning to Hogwarts. Even his mother looked rather depressed.
On the very last day of the holidays, Harry was sweeping up Hedwig's owl droppings from the top of the wardrobe when Ron entered their bedroom carrying a couple of envelopes.
"Booklists have arrived," he said, throwing one of the envelopes up to Harry and Percy, who was standing on a chair while Percy sat on the chair. "About time, I thought they'd forgotten, they usually come much earlier than this. . . ."
He then opened his letter: Itcontained two pieces of parchment, one the usual reminder that termstarted on the first of September, the other telling him which books hewould need for the coming year.
"Only two new ones," he said, reading the list. "The Standard Bookof Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk and Defensive Magical Theory,by Wilbert Slinkhard."
Crack.
Fred and George Apparated right beside Harry.
"We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book," saidFred conversationally.
"Because it means Dumbledore's found a new Defense Against theDark Arts teacher," said George.
"And about time too," said Fred.
"What d'you mean?" Harry asked, jumping down beside them.
"Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back," Fred told Harry, "and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year."
"Not surprising, is it, when you look at what's happened to the last four?" said George.
"One dead, one's memory removed, one sacked, and one locked in a trunk for nine months," said Percy, counting them off on his fingers. "Yeah, I see what you mean."
"What's up with you, Ron?" asked Fred.
Ron did not answer. He was standing verystill with his mouth slightly open, gaping at his letter from Hogwarts.
"What's the matter?" said Fred impatiently, moving around Ron tolook over his shoulder at the parchment.
Fred's mouth fell open too.
"Prefect?" he said, staring incredulously at the letter. "Prefect?"
George leapt forward, seized the envelope in Ron's other hand, andturned it upside down. Harry saw something scarlet and gold fall intoGeorge's palm. Percy took it and examined it with his own badge. He nodded at the twins. "It's real."
"No way," said George in a hushed voice.
"There's been a mistake," said Fred, snatching the letter out ofRon's grasp and holding it up to the light as though checking for a watermark. "No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect. . . ."
The twins' and Percy's heads turned in unison and both of them stared atHarry.
"We thought you were a cert!" said Fred in a tone that suggestedHarry had tricked them in some way.
"We thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you!" said Georgeindignantly.
"Afte everything you done for the past four years!" Said Percy. "Winning the Triwizard and everything!"
"I suppose all the mad stuff must've counted against him," saidGeorge to Fred.
"Yeah," said Fred slowly. "Yeah, you've caused too much trouble, mate. Well, at least one of you's got their priorities right."
He strode over to Harry and clapped him on the back while givingRon a scathing look.
"Prefect . . . ickle Ronnie the prefect . . ."
"Oh, Mum's going to be revolting," groaned George, thrusting theprefect badge back at Ron as though it might contaminate him.
"Oh shut up you too." Percy scolded. "Personally Ron did do his fair share. You know the chess thing in your first year."
But Ron was still lost for words. He took the badge, stared at it for a moment, and then held it out to Harry as though asking mutely forconfirmation that it was genuine.
The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into the room, hercheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand.
"Did you — did you get — ?"
She spotted the badge in Harry's hand and let out a shriek.
"I knew it!" she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. "Me too, Harry, me too!"
"No," said Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron's hand."It's Ron, not me."
"It — what?"
"Ron's prefect, not Harry," Percy said.
"Ron?" said Hermione, her jaw dropping. "But . . . are you sure? Imean —"
She turned red as Ron looked around at her with a defiant expression on his face.
"It's my name on the letter," he said.
"I . . ." said Hermione, looking thoroughly bewildered. "I . . . well. . . wow! Well done, Ron! That's really —"
"Unexpected," said George, nodding.
"Unforesseable is more like it." Said Percy.
"No," said Hermione, blushing harder than ever, "no, it's not . . .Ron's done loads of . . . he's really . . ."
The door behind her opened a little wider and Mrs. Weasleybacked into the room carrying a pile of freshly laundered robes." Ginny said the booklists had come at last," she said, glancingaround at all the envelopes as she made her way over to the bed andstarted sorting the robes into two piles. "If you give them to me I'lltake them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your bookswhile you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pyjamas, these areat least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing . . .what colour would you like?"
"Get him red and gold to match his badge," said George, smirking.
"Match his what?" said Mrs. Weasley absently
"His badge," said Fred. "His lovely shiny new prefect's badge."
Fred's words took a moment to penetrate Mrs. Weasley's preoccupation about pyjamas.
"His . . . but . . . Ron, you're not. . . ?"
Ron held up his badge and Mrs Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's.
"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! Aprefect! That's everyone in the family!"
"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?" said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around heryoungest son.
"Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it'sthe first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all thisworry, I'm just thrilled, oh Ronnie —"
Fred and George were both making loud retching noise. But Mrs Weasley did not notice; arms tight around Ron'sneck, she was kissing him all over his face, which had turned a brighterscarlet than his badge.
"Mum . . . don't . . . Mum, get a grip. . . ." he muttered, trying topush her away.
She let go of him and said breathlessly, "Well, what will it be? Wegave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course."
"W-what do you mean?" said Ron, looking as though he did notdare believe his ears.
"You've got to have a reward for this!" said Mrs. Weasley fondly."How about a nice new set of dress robes?"
"We've already bought him some," said Fred sourly,
"Or a new cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a newrat, you always liked Scabbers —"
"Mum," said Ron hopefully, "can I have a new broom?"
Mrs. Weasley's face fell slightly; broomsticks were expensive.
"Not a really good one!" Ron hastened to add. "Just — just a newone for a change . . ."
Mrs. Weasley hesitated, then smiled.
"Of course you can. . . . Well, I'd better get going if I've got a broomto buy too. I'll see you all later. . . . Little Ronnie, a prefect! And don'tforget to pack your trunks. . . . A prefect . . . Oh, I'm all of a dither!"
She gave Ron yet another kiss on the cheek, sniffed loudly, and bustled from the room.
Fred and George exchanged looks.
"You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" said Fred in afalsely anxious voice.
"We could curtsy, if you like," said George.
"Oh, shut up," said Ron, scowling at them.
"Or what?" said Fred, an evil grin spreading across his face. "Goingto put us in detention?"
"I'd love to see him try," sniggered George.
"He could if you don't watch out!" said Hermione angrily, at whichFred and George burst out laughing and Ron muttered, "Drop it, Hermione."
"We're going to have to watch our step, George," said Fred, pretending to tremble, "with these two on our case. . . ."
"It looks like our law-breaking days are finally over," said George, shaking his head.
And with another loud crack, the twins Disapparated.
"Those two!" said Hermione furiously, staring up at the ceiling, through which they could now hear Fred and George roaring withlaughter in the room upstairs. "Don't pay any attention to them, Ron, they're only jealous!"
"I don't think they are," said Ron doubtfully, also looking up at theceiling. "They've always said only prats become prefects. . . . Still," headded on a happier note, "they've never had new brooms! I wish Icould go with Mum and choose. . . . She'll never be able to afford aNimbus, but there's the new Cleansweep out, that'd be great. . . .Yeah, I think I'll go and tell her I like the Cleansweep, just so sheknows. . . ."
He dashed from the room, leaving Harry, Percy and Hermione alone.
"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively.
"You alright," Percy asked.
"Well done," said Harry, so heartily it did not sound like his voiceat all, and still not looking at her. "Brilliant. Prefect. Great."
"Thanks," said Hermione. "Erm — Percy— could I borrowAthena so I can tell Mum and Dad? They'll be really pleased — Imean, prefect is something they can understand —"
"Yeah, no problem," said Percy in a hearty voice. He called Athena down and they both went down.
It was odd how widely their possessions seemed to have scatteredthemselves since they had arrived. It took them most of the afternoonto retrieve their books and belongings from all over the house andstow them back inside their school trunks. Percy noticed that Ron was being a little to much attached to the badge. He stopped only when Fred and George dropped in and offered to attachit to his forehead with a Permanent Sticking Charm did he wrap ittenderly in his maroon socks and lock it in his trunk.
Mrs Weasley returned from Diagon Alley around six o'clock, ladenwith books and carrying a long package wrapped in thick brown paper that Ron took from her with a moan of longing.
"Never mind unwrapping it now, people are arriving for dinner, Iwant you all downstairs," she said, but the moment she was out ofsight Ron ripped off the paper in a frenzy and examined every inch ofhis new broom, an ecstatic expression on his face.
Down in the basement, Mrs. Weasley had hung a scarlet banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read congratulations RON AND HERMIONE — NEW PREFECTS. She looked in a better moodthan anyone had seen her all holiday.
"I thought we'd have a little party, not a sit-down dinner," she told Percy, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny as they entered the room. "Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron, I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled, your mother's also coming to Percy," she added, beaming.
Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, Sally, Paul, and Kingsley Shacklebolt were already there and Mad-Eye Moody stumped in shortly after Harry had got himself butterbeer.
"Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here," said Mrs. Weasley brightly, as Mad-Eye shrugged off his traveling cloak. "We've been wanting to ask you for ages — could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing-room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty."
"No problem, Molly . . ." Moody's electric-blue eye swivelled upward and stared fixedlythrough the ceiling of the kitchen.
"Drawing room . . ." he growled, as the pupil contracted. "Desk inthe corner? Yeah, I see it. . . . Yeah, it's a boggart. . . . Want me to goup and get rid of it, Molly?"
"No, no, I'll do it myself later," beamed Mrs. Weasley. "You haveyour drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually. . . ." Shegestured at the scarlet banner. "Fourth prefect in the family!" she saidfondly, ruffling Ron's hair.
"Prefect, eh?" growled Moody, his normal eye on Ron and his magical eye swivelling around to gaze into the side of his head.
"Well, congratulations," said Moody, still glaring at Ron with his normal eye, "authority figures always attract trouble, but I supposeDumbledore thinks you can withstand most major jinxes or he wouldn't have appointed you. . . ." Ron looked rather startled at this view of the matter but was saved the trouble of responding by the arrival of his father and eldest brother
"Well, I think a toast is in order," said Mr. Weasley, when everyonehad a drink. He raised his goblet. "To Ron and Hermione, the newGryffindor prefects!"
Ron and Hermione beamed as everyone drank to them and thenapplauded.
"I was never a prefect myself," said Tonks brightly from behindHarry as everybody moved toward the table to help themselves tofood. Her hair was tomato-red and waist length today; she looked likeGinny's older sister. "My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities."
"Like what?" said Ginny, who was choosing a baked potato.
"Like the ability to behave myself," said Tonks. Ginny laughed;
"What about you, Sirius?" Ginny asked, thumping Hermione on the back. Sirius, who was right beside Harry, let out his usual barklike laugh.
"No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time indetention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge."
"I think Dumbledore might have hoped that I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends," said Lupin. "I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."
Ron was rhapsodizing about his new broom to anybody who wouldlisten.
". . . naught to seventy in ten seconds, not bad, is it? When youthink the Comet Two Ninety's only naught to sixty and that's with adecent tailwind according to Which Broomstick?"
Hermione was talking very earnestly to Lupin about her view of elf rights."I mean, it's the same kind of nonsense as werewolf segregation, isn't it? It all stems from this horrible thing wizards have of thinkingthey're superior to other creatures. . . ."
Mrs. Weasley and Bill were having their usual argument about Bill'shair.". . . getting really out of hand, and you're so good-looking, itwould look much better shorter, wouldn't it, Harry?"
"Oh — I dunno —" said Harry, slightly alarmed at being asked hisopinion;
Percy and Tonks, however, were having a conversation about their metamoprhagus abilities. It seemed that Perct turned his hair into Hermione's bushy style.
"So you can change your entire face into an animal or your whole body?"
"Oh that's transfiguration," Tonks said. "Metamorphagi can change only a certain part of your body. Like your nose." For example. She turned her nose into a pig snout.
Mrs. Weasley yawned widely.
"Well, I think I'll sort out that boggart before I turn in. . . . Arthur,I don't want this lot up too late, all right? 'Night, Harry, dear."
She left the kitchen. Harry set down his plate and wonderedwhether he could follow her without attracting attention."You all right, Potter?" grunted Moody.
"Yeah, fine," lied Harry. Moody took a swig from his hip flask, his electric blue eye staringsideways at Harry.
"Come here, I've got something that might interest you," he said. From an inner pocket of his robes Moody pulled a very tattered oldWizarding photograph.
"Original Order of the Phoenix," growled Moody. "Found it lastnight when I was looking for my spare Invisibility Cloak, seeing asPodmore hasn't had the manners to return my best one. . . . Thoughtpeople might like to see it."
Harry took the photograph. A small crowd of people, some wavingat him, others lifting their glasses, looked back up at him.
"There's me," said Moody, pointing at himself. TheMoody in the picture was unmistakable, though his hair was slightlyless gray and his nose was intact.
"And there's Dumbledore beside me,Dedalus Diggle on the other side . . . That's Marlene McKinnon, shewas killed two weeks after this was taken, they got her whole family. That's Frank and Alice Longbottom —"
Harry's stomach, clenched as he looked atAlice Longbottom; he knew her round, friendly face very well, eventhough he had never met her because she was the image of her son, Neville."Poor devils," growled Moody. "Better dead than what happened to them . . . and that's Emmeline Vance, you've met her, and thatthere's Lupin, obviously . . . Benjy Fenwick, he copped it too, we onlyever found bits of him . . . shift aside there," he added, poking the picture, and the little photographic people edged sideways, so that thosewho were partially obscured could move to the front."That's Edgar Bones . . . brother of Amelia Bones, they got him andhis family too, he was a great wizard . . . Sturgis Podmore, blimey, he looks young Sally Jackson, when she had longer hair, is that Percy she's holding? that's her uncle Richard, took a killing curse for his niece . . . Caradoc Dearborn, vanished six months after this, wenever found his body . . . Hagrid, of course, looks the same asever . . . Elphias Doge, you've met him, I'd forgotten he used to wearthat stupid hat . . . Gideon Prewett, it took five Death Eaters to killhim and his brother Fabian, they fought like heroes . . . budge along,budge along . . ."
"That's Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, only time I ever met him,strange bloke . . . That's Dorcas Meadowes, Voldemort killed her personally . . . Sirius, when he still had short hair . . . and . . . there yougo, thought that would interest you!"
Harry's heart turned over. His mother and father were beaming upat him, sitting on either side of a small, watery-eyed man Harry recognized at once as Wormtail: He was the one who had betrayed theirwhereabouts to Voldemort and so helped bring about their deaths.
"Eh?" said Moody.
It seems that Moody was under the impression he had just given Harry a bitof a treat.
"Yeah," said Harry, attempting to grin again. "Er . . . listen, I've just remembered, I haven't packed my . . ."
He was spared the trouble of inventing an object he had notpacked; Sirius had just said, "What's that you've got there, Mad-Eye?"and Moody had turned toward him. Harry crossed the kitchen slipped through the door and up the stairs before anyone could call him back.
