Girl Who Survived: Book Two {Harry Potter: Order of Phoenix}

[Chapter Twenty Four: St. Mungo's]

[Chapter Twenty Four: St. Mungo's]

     At ten past five in the morning by Ron's watch, the kitchen door swung open and Mrs. Weasley entered the room. She was extremely pale, but when we all turned to look at her, Fred, Ron, and Harry half rising from their chairs, she gave a wan smile.

     "He's going to be all right," she said, her voice weak with tiredness. "He's sleeping. We can all go and see him later. Bill's sitting with him now; he's going to take the morning off work."

     Fred fell back into his chair with his hands over his face. I rubbed my hand over his back and leaned my head on his shoulder. He didn't respond to my touch like he normally would, and I tried my best not to be bothered by it-- but it hurt.

     George and Ginny got up, walked swiftly over to their mother and hugged her. Ron gave a very shaky laugh and downed the rest of his Butterbeer in one gulp.

     "Breakfast!" said Sirius loudly and joyfully, jumping to his feet. "Where's that accursed house-elf? Kreacher! KREACHER!"

     But Kreacher did not answer the summons.

     "Oh, forget it, then," muttered Sirius, counting the people in front of him. "So, it's breakfast for—let's see— eight... bacon and eggs, I think, and some tea, and toast—"

     Harry hurried over to the stove to help Sirius. I didn't blame him for not wanting to intrude on the Weasleys' happiness. I felt out of place as well, and was dreading the moment when Mrs. Weasley would ask me to recount the vision.

     A few minutes passed and Mrs. Weasley came and sat by me. I removed my arm from around Fred as she pulled me into her arms, sniffling, "I don't know what would have happened if it hadn't been for you two," she said in a muffled voice, "They might not have found Arthur for hours, and then it would have been too late, but thanks to you and Harry he's alive and Dumbledore's been able to think up a good cover story for Arthur being where he was. You've no idea what trouble he would have been in otherwise, look at poor Sturgis..."

     I could hardly bear her gratitude, but fortunately she soon released me get up and talk to Sirius. She thanked him for looking after her children through the night. Sirius said he was very pleased to have been able to help, and hoped we would all stay with him as long as Mr. Weasley was in hospital.

     "Oh, Sirius, I'm so grateful... they think he'll be there a little while and it would be wonderful to be nearer... of course, that might mean we're here for Christmas."

     "The more the merrier!" said Sirius with such obvious sincerity that Mrs. Weasley beamed at him, threw on an apron and began to help with breakfast.

   ...

Everyone, including me, spent the rest of the morning sleeping. I went up to the bedroom Hermione and I had shared over the last few weeks of summer, and curled up alone in the too-big room. I dipped in and out of consciousness, despite how unbelievably exhausted I was, unable to find a nice, steady sleep.

    I trod downstairs carefully a few hours later, surprised to see Fred and George up. I was usually the early riser, but maybe it was the worry keeping them so on edge.

     Our trunks arrived from Hogwarts while we were eating lunch, so we could dress as Muggles for the trip to St. Mungo's. Everybody except for Harry and I were riotously happy and talkative as they changed out of their robes into jeans and sweatshirts.

     I still felt grave and somehow to blame. Even though the twins and Ginny were less cold towards me, I still felt a certain barrier had been pushed between them and myself. It wasn't the welcome, familiar sense of belonging that I had grown accustomed to.