The first few days into the holidays were alright, although, I was always receiving the Daily Prophet, and I was getting angry that they kept painting Harry as a delusional boy who just liked the attention, and was lying about Who-Know-Who's return. I was close to writing them a letter and telling them to sod off.
One evening, while Mum, Shay and I were having dinner, we finally brought up the topic I'd been dreading.
"What about all those Daily Prophet reports, eh?" Mum asked. "Have you been reading them Sara?"
I nodded. "I have. Horrible things they've been writing about poor Harry. I wish they'd just believe him."
"What?" Mum's eyebrows furrowed.
"What?" I asked her, now confused by her reaction.
"Wait Sara, you don't.......actually believe Harry.... do you?" Shay asked me timidly.
I blinked. "Well, yes. I do."
Mum laughed. "You're joking, right? Sara, please tell me you're joking."
"I'm not." I was starting to get irritated. "Why would Harry lie about this?"
"I don't know, he just.... he's Harry Potter! He's famous! It's getting to his head." Shay said angrily.
"I know Harry more than you do Shay! I've talked to him loads of times, and even spent the summer with him last year!"
"You're being stupid Sara." Mum stabber at her diner.
"No! You are!"
She gasped. "How dare you speak to your mother like that-"
"I don't care!" I seethed.
"You are believing a stupid delusional boy! he got his in the head to hard or something!" Mum screamed.
"I BELIEVE THAT YOU-KNOW-WHO IS BACK!" I screamed back.
Shay was looking torn, his eyes swinging back and forth between Mum and I.
"Sara. I will not have this nonsense in my house." she said dangerously low.
"Okay. Fine." I stood up from my chair and stalked up to my room.
"Sara! SARA WHERE ARE YOU GOING!"
I ignored her and locked my bedroom door. With a flick of my wand, my trunk opened an all my belongings folded itself and fit itself into the truck. I used my wand to levitate my trunk downstairs, grabbing Floo-Powder while I was at it.
"Where are you going?" Mum cried
"If you don't like my thoughts here, then I'm leaving! I'm out!" I yelled.
"Where!"
"I don't know! The Weasley's! They have more mind than you!"
"Sara, please don't go." Shay pleaded.
But I threw the powder into the fireplace, and yelled "The Burrow!"
The last thing I saw was Shay's sad face, and Mum's angry face, before I spun out of view. I landed heavily in the fireplace of the Burrow, someone screaming.
"HOLY FU- Oh Merlin Sara? What are you doing here?" asked Ron.
I dusted myself off. and ignored his question. "Where's your mother?"
"In the kitchen. With Dumbledore."
I quickly went to the kitchen and saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with Professor Dumbledore. They turned in surprise to me.
"I didn't know Percy invited you over!" Mrs. Weasley cried, rushing over to hug me.
"He didn't"
"Then why are you here?" she asked. "Not that I'm complaining but-"
I suddenly burst into tears and Mrs. Weasley pulled me into a chair. Mr. Weasley quickly got me some water and Dumbledore waited quietly for me to calm down.
"I told my mum and Seamus about the Daily Prophet! And they told me I was stupid for believing Harry! That I was crazy and that Harry is delusional!" I wailed. "They don't believe any of it!"
"There there darling." Mrs. Weasley rubbed my back.
"Sara, I'm glad you're here." Dumbledore said. "I was actually about to pay you a little visit, right after my chat with Molly and Arthur."
I calmed down a bit and drank some water. "Why?"
"Well, I have started the second Order of the Phoenix. And I would like for you three to join. Molly and Arthur already agreed." he said.
"But, what is it?" I asked quietly.
"It's a group of us to fight back against Lord Voldemort and his followers." he replied.
We all shuddered at the mention of Who-Know-Who's name.
"Who's part of the group?" I asked.
"Mad-Eye, Kingsley, Tonks, Sirius, Severus, Bill, Charlie, and a few others you wouldn't know. Oliver Wood is too, though he won't be able to join all the meetings due to his busy Quidditch schedule" he replied. "And of course now, Molly and Arthur. If you'd like a couple of days to think-"
"I'll join." I said suddenly.
"Are you sure? It can be dangerous, especially for Aruros at this time...."
"I'm sure." I said firmly. "This is what I signed up for when I became an Auror."
He nodded, looking proud. "Excellent." he stood up and handed Mr. Weasley a piece of paper. "Tomorrow, you all may take refuge at this place. This will be the headquarters for the meetings."
Mr. Weasley nodded and tucked the piece of paper in his pocket. "Thank you Albus."
Professor Dumbledore bade us all goodbye and left.
"CHILDREN!" Mrs. Weasley cried. Almost on cue, Ron, Ginny and the twins ran into the kitchen.
"What was all that about?" asked Ginny.
Mrs. Weasley quickly explained about the Order, and where we'd spend the rest of the summer.
"We're part of a secret society?" Fred grinned.
"No you're not." Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "You are not going to be allowed to join the meetings. It's only for us adults."
"Why can Sara join?" asked Fred.
"Because she's an adult." Mrs. Weasley raised an eyebrow.
"We'll tell Percy when he's back from work." Mr. Weasley said.
Just a couple of hours later, Percy arrived while we were all in the living room.
"Guess what!" he cried. "Wait, Sara?"
"Hey Perce." I smiled, looking up from my game of chess with Ron.
"What are you doing here?"
"Long story." I said. "What do we have to guess?"
"I was promoted!" he said proudly.
We were all surprised at that. Ever since the Crouch incident, I heard that Percy got into a lot of trouble at the Ministry.
"Dad, I've been offered a position in Fudge's own office! Junior Assistant to the Minister. " he cried
Mr. Weasley blinked and Percy's face fell.
"Dad? What's wrong?"
Mr. Weasley shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, you know how Fudge has been, you know, checking to see who's in contact with Albus right?"
Percy narrowed his eyes. "Right."
"Well, I er, I think that Fudge might have appointed you as his assistant, to spy on us. He knows how close we are with Albus."
Percy stared at everyone for a few seconds, before his whole face turned red. "You know what father, I excepted you to not be happy. I mean, I've been having to struggle with your lousy reputation ever since I got into the Ministry!'
"Percy!" Mrs. Weasley looked chocked.
"You have no ambition, no goal in your life, except playing with Muggle toys in your office all day long!"
"Percy!" I cried. "Don't say that!"
"Dumbledore's heading straight for trouble, and your all following him! My loyalty lies with the Ministry, and if your going to become traitors to us, then I'm not a part of this family anymore!"
He stormed off to his room, leaving us all flabbergasted.
Mrs. Weasley started crying while Mr. Weasley sat there stunned.
"I'll go speak to him." I said softly, rushing up.
I barged into Percy's room, to find him packing.
"You're not going anywhere!" I snarled.
He spun around on me. "Where does your loyalty lie!"
"What?"
"Are you following Dumbledore, or the Ministry?"
I clenched my jaw. "Take a guess."
Percy scoffed. "You are going to fail in your life, with this mindset."
"No, you're being stupid."
"Why are you here Sara?"
"Because my mum and brother don't believe Harry! They think he's delusional!"
"I think so too! He's got a crazy mind that boy." he snarled.
I gasped. "Take that back Percy! You've known Harry for years!"
"Well, it seems I don't know him anymore."
"Percy, just think about this." I softened a bit, trying to get him to listen to me.
"No. Leave me alone Sara. If you want to follow Dumbledore, fine! This is why my family doesn't have money! Because of my dads stupid life muggle obsessions'!"
"Percy, you know how hard your father works!" I cried.
"He doesn't do any work! He just sits and plays with his stupid muggle toys." he yelled at me. "Move out of my way Sara!"
"Percy please- think of your mother! She'll be devastated. Percy, so will I." I pleaded. "Just think about this."
"No Sara. It's final! You're all a bunch of fucking idiots!"
I was shocked. I'd never heard him swear before.
"You're all going to go down. You're being stupid, believing a mentally ill child. Maybe those scars on your face affected your brain a bit too much." he said nastily.
"Percy!" I blinked back tears.
"Not like the Ministry want's someone like you anyway, looking like a hideous fucking werewolf." he snarled, before heaving his bags downstairs.
I leaned down against the wall of Percy's room, hurt and shocked by his words. I cried into my arms for what felt like hours, before I felt someone touch my shoulder gently.
"Come on Sara. Mum decided we should go to the head-quarters right now."
I looked up to see Ginny. She was looking angry and upset. I stood up.
"What did Percy say to you?" asked Ron, as I followed Ginny to the living room. Everyone's trunks were packed and set. I hadn't realized how long I spent up there.
Tears glistened in my eyes and Ron looked embarrassed. "Never mind." he mumbled.
"Come on everyone, we're going to take turns Apparating." Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes still shining.
Fred and George were able to Apparate by themselves, while Mr. Weasley took Ginny, and I took Ron. Mrs. Weasley took care of all the luggage.
"Hold tight." I said, and Ron grabbed onto my arm as I Apparated to the destination Dumbledore had told us.
Mr. Weasley then pulled out the piece of paper Dumbledore had given him. He looked at it, then closed his eyes, looking up.
"Everyone think of this in your mind." he said, passing on the paper to me.
I looked at it.
Number Twelve Grimmauld Place.
I thought of it in my mind, and looked up to see a new house appearing between two other ones.
"Damn," I whispered, passing the paper to Ron.
Once everyone thought of it, we walked through the door. Sirius Black let us in, grinning.
"Sara!" he cried, pulling me into a hug. "I haven't seen you in ages!"
I hugged him back, but couldn't bring myself to smile.
"You al alright?" he asked with concern, looking at all our faces.
Mrs. Weasley started crying again and Sirius looked alarmed.
"Here, why don't I show you to your room." he awkwardly took Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley upstairs. "You all make yourselves at home! I'll be right back!"
Not long after, Sirius returned. "Blimey, what happened?"
We all sat around in the living room. I picked up a piece of cobweb from the pillow. The whole house was a dump, but I didn't comment.
"Well, I had a fight with mum and Seamus." I said quietly. I quickly told everyone what happened with my family, and then what Percy said to me.
Sirius looked livid. "He said that to you?"
I nodded.
"When I get my hands on him-" Ron looked angry too.
"Doesn't matter." I blinked my tears away.
We all say in silence. I thought back to Shay. I still couldn't believe them. And then Percy. I'd never heard him say such horrible things to anybody like that before, no matter how angry he was.
"If it makes you feel better Sara, Tonks is coming by to say hi. She told me you're good friends." Sirius said.
My smiled timidly. When Tonks arrived, Sirius whispered to her about what happened and she pulled me into a hug. "Don't mind them. They'll come to their his senses, eventually."
I didn't believe her one bit.