HARRY POTTER WANTED FOR QUESTIONING
ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
I read the headline and cursed under my breath. The Prophet had been putting out rubbish like this for a month now, and it was getting on my nerves. Ever since Voldemort infiltrated the Ministry, I had learned no real news about the war, only that it was being “dealt with” by the Ministry. Lupin was also maddeningly vague. He still insisted that we take the Prophet, even though it was totally useless. Between the manhunt for my brother, and increasingly demanding letters from Sammy, I was about to go insane:
“...I haven't seen you all summer! Are you alright?...”
“...Why not come and visit?...”
“...Mum and Tyler are both worried. Valentine is asking about you...”
“...WHERE ARE YOU!?...”
Lupin remained stubborn as far as visiting Sammy was concerned. In his eyes, me walking into the Leaky Cauldron was suicidal. I knew he was probably right, but it still made me angry that I had not gotten to visit anyone since the wedding. I was becoming more and more restless, and it showed in my replies:
“...I'm safe, but I can't tell you much right now...”
“...I'm afraid I can't visit at the moment, but I'll see what I can do...”
“...Tell everyone that I'm alright...”
“...I'm perfectly safe, for now...”
Simon, to my surprise, remained as adamant as Lupin about staying at the house and not going out unless absolutely necessary. He was somehow worse than Sammy, giving tantalizing hints about the outside world, disguising them in “puzzles” and making me feel even more trapped. I was to the point that running away looked very appealing. Only three things stopped me. The first was that, obviously, if a Death Eater found me, there was a risk that my secret could be exposed. Next, I knew Lupin would blow a gasket. The last reason, inexplicably, was that I felt sure Simon would be- well, maybe not angry. Just disappointed that I hadn't been mature enough to handle the cards I'd been dealt.
~ * ~
SEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED HOGWARTS HEADMASTER
The headline made me scream. Lupin burst into my bedroom, half his face covered in shaving cream, brandishing his razor. Tonks followed behind him, her hair in the process of turning from green to blue. I held up the newspaper, and Lupin snatched it, his eyes narrowing as they scanned the article. He handed it to Tonks, who took it and sat down. Lupin began pacing, and once again, I noticed a flash of wolfishness in him.
“I can't believe the idiots at the Ministry are letting that-” here he expressed his feelings colorfully “- take over the school!”
“It's a disgrace!” exclaimed Tonks, who began ripping up the paper. Artemis watched coolly, flicking her tail this way and that, and I knew she wanted to join in.
Lupin suddenly stopped pacing. He put a hand on Tonks' shoulder. “Calm down,” he said gently, though he looked anything but calm himself. “You need to be a bit more careful.” Tonks, huffing and puffing, tossed the remains of the paper to the floor and crossed her arms indignantly.
“What's going on?” I said, noticing for the first time that Tonks was a bit paler than normal. She and Lupin exchanged looks, and Lupin nodded.
Tonks turned to me, positively beaming where a moment ago she'd been furious. “I'm pregnant!” she said delightedly. I noticed Lupin gave a reluctant smile. What was he so down about? This was great! My jaw nearly hit the floor, and I began giggling like crazy.
“That's great! That's really great! Congratulations!” I said.
Breakfast that morning was a feast of toaster waffles and blueberry syrup. Everyone was in high spirits- everyone, that is, except Lupin. While Andromeda was discussing where to find diapers cheapest, and Ted was thinking aloud about various names, Lupin poked sheepishly at his waffles with his fork, like a child caught in an indecent act. I nudged him under the table.
“What's up?” I said quietly as Ted exclaimed that Robert seemed a good, hearty name for a boy.
“I don't think that this is the best time to have a child,” he said quietly. “In the middle of a war, I mean. Who knows how long it will be before Voldemort is defeated? This child may have a harder life than most.”
I knew what he was driving at- Lupin wasn't worried about his son or daughter being in danger because of war. He was worried that his child would be ashamed to have a werewolf as a father, or that perhaps the child would inherit the condition itself. I gave Lupin a hug. “I don't know what you're so worried about, Lupin,” I said firmly. “This kid is the luckiest kid in the world to have you as a dad.”
Despite my encouragement, he still looked unconvinced.
~ * ~
MUGGLE-BORN REGISTRATION COMMISSION
Nice bold letters on page two told me that Muggle-borns were being sought out for questioning, as if they could somehow steal magic from other witches and wizards. I shook my head angrily. Hermione was Muggle-born, and she was the smartest witch I knew. Then I remembered something- Sammy's mother was Muggle-born as well.
As if on cue, Sammy's owl Wendelin flew through the open window. She dropped a letter in my lap and then perched on my desk lamp. I opened the letter and read:
Rosie-
I don't know if you've read the Prophet lately, but I just read that the Ministry is hunting down Muggle-borns to question them. Mum's Muggle-born! I'm worried. Today, she got a summons from the Ministry when the Prophet arrived. That hag, Umbridge, is questioning her on Friday. I thought for sure that she'd want to talk to Tyler and me, but apparently Dad was a wizard! I don't ever remember him doing magic, so he must have been pretty bad.
I don't know what's going on with you, but I'd really appreciate it if you could drop in on Friday during the trial. Tyler and I have to stay at the Leaky Cauldron; we aren't allowed to accompany her. Valentine and Simon will be here as well. Think about it.
-Sammy
I felt like a terrible friend. Sammy had been worrying about me all summer, whether I was alright; she'd been worried about not returning to Hogwarts; and now, to top it all, the Ministry would be dragging her mother off to Azkaban this Friday! I was livid. I hastily scrawled a reply on a scrap of parchment:
Sam~
Don't worry. I'll come even if it kills me. Your mum will be fine, there's no case against her.
~Rosie
After I sent my reply, I hurried down the stares and smacked the paper down in front of Lupin, nearly knocking over his pumpkin juice. He picked up the article and read it silently, then handed it to the waiting hands of Tonks, Andromeda reading over her shoulder.
“Sammy's mum is Muggle-born. She's being tried on Friday, but Sammy isn't allowed to go with her. She wants me to come to the Leaky Cauldron, while her mum is at the Ministry. Can I?”
I braced myself to argue against the “no” I was expecting to hear, but I didn't need to. Lupin rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb, and then said, “Fine.”
“But Lu- wait, what? I can go?” I said, hardly daring to believe it.
“You'd go anyway, no matter what my answer was. You might as well go with my blessing,” said Lupin, smiling without humor. “I'm curious about this Muggle-born Registration Commission, though. I think I need to pay someone a visit today. Excuse me.” And Lupin picked up the article and left.
~ * ~
On Friday, I arrived at the Leaky Cauldron by Floo Powder at noon. It was dismal to behold. Sammy's usually bouncy and curly brown hair was now limp and unkempt. She was pale, and there were deep circles under her eyes, like purple bruises. Valentine's worry lines had deepened since I had seen her last. Tyler was also pale, and his freckles stood out sharper than ever on his face. Simon, who was tall and gawky, looked healthiest of all, next to this lot of zombies.
Sammy's face relaxed with relief when she saw me, well-fed on Chinese take-out, and she engulfed me in a weak hug. Valentine hugged me as well. It made Dumbledore's funeral look like a birthday party.
“Sammy,” I said gently, standing back to look at her, “are you alright? You look positively ill.”
“I'm fine,” she said quietly, and then sat at a nearby table. It was then that I noticed the bar was completely devoid of any other customers. Tom served us butterbeers without his usual toothless grin, and then went back over to the counter to listen to the wireless and do a crossword puzzle. Valentine took me aside.
“She's been like that for a week now. She doesn't sleep at all, just stays down here and listens to the wireless with Tom,” she whispered.
“How long have you been here?” I asked as we took a seat on either side of Sammy.
“Since the start of the summer. I needed a place to stay, my Aunt Lucinda had a conference in Egypt. She works for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and she's been gone all summer,” Valentine replied.
I looked around the table. Sammy fiddled with her bottle but didn't speak. Valentine was staring at her, as if worried she would dissolve into thin air. Tyler slurped noisily at his butterbeer and wandered off to listen to the wireless with Tom. Simon attempted to maintain a cheery air, and failed dismally.
We tried to keep running conversation. I gave Sammy the impression that I had left the orphanage, and that I was searching for an apartment but hadn't found anything in my price-range. Then we talked about Quidditch, which subject was quickly exhausted as none of us were really following it anymore. We were nearly reduced to talking about the weather, when Sammy said out of the blue:
“Tom's been really helpful. He said Tyler and I can stay here as long as we need to, until I find a job and get enough money to find a place to stay. He said that Mum was always his most reliable employee.”
“Sammy-” I started nervously, but she shook her head.
“The Ministry is corrupt, Rose. Mum isn't coming back. You know it, I know it, Tom knows it, even Tyler knows it. There's nothing we can do except sit here until someone tells us otherwise.”
I had never seen Sammy like this before. She was usually loud and happy, but now she looked like Lupin after a transformation. Simon caught my eye and jerked his head in the direction of the counter. I took advantage of my empty butterbeer bottle and said, “Well, I think I want some more. Anyone else want seconds?” Sammy didn't respond and Valentine shook her head but Simon, predictably, said, “Sure.”
As soon as we were out of earshot of the others, I said, “She's turned into a zombie! Valentine said she's been like that for over a week. It can't just be all this crap that's happening! What the hell is the matter with her?”
Simon sighed and shook his head. “It's shock. She can't cope with this stuff. It's more than anyone our age should have to deal with. Her mum is going to wind up in Azkaban for Godric knows how long, and that's as good as sentencing her to death. Now Sammy's got to look out for Tyler and make sure he stays out of trouble, and she's got to act more like a grown-up. I hope she comes back to school though. It may buy her some time to think things over.”
At the mention of Hogwarts, I felt my ears begin to burn. I hated thinking about it anymore. I had heard that two Death Eaters called the Carrows would be taking over the vacant positions of Defense Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies. I didn't want to imagine what school would be like with three confirmed Death Eaters doing the teaching.
“Are you going back?” I asked in a would-be casual voice.
“Well, I had a row with my dad about it, but yeah. Neither of my parents want me to go back, but I've got to help out somehow, and I'll bet anything that the D.A. reforms to help protect the students and try to overthrow- er- the headmaster.” He looked at me then. “What about you?”
I sighed and looked at my hightops again for a moment, before looking back up and saying, “If Lupin doesn't have a problem with me going, I will. I want to fight.”
Simon smiled as he handed me my butterbeer. “That's what I thought,” he said.
The Other Potter by georgeisholey
Chapter Notes: Okay, this is definitely one of my favorite chapters! If I read the Daily Prophet last year, I might have done better in Current Events... speaking of current events, we all need to keep Japan in our thoughts and prayers. And on that note... I don't own Harry Potter, enjoy!
Chapter Endnotes: In the next chapter we go back to Hogwarts, and things will get even MORE interesting... hee hee:)